Devolution
by Incatnito
Summary: Mac gets stuck with Singer on an out-of-town case.
1. Default Chapter

Title: Devolution  
  
Author: Incatnito  
  
Rating: PG-13, a little language, a little violence, maybe even a little plot  
  
Classification: JAG story  
  
Spoiler: Everything up to Defending His Honor and (call it continuity or conceit) Sleight of Hand  
  
Disclaimers: Taking them out to play, promise to put them back. All characters of JAG belong to Donald Bellasarius and Bellasarius Productions; no copyright infringement intended  
  
AN: Action-adventurewise, this one is a little slower out of the blocks. I don't think of this as a sequel to SoH, more of an interim piece. I'm also kind of letting the show dictate where H/M are in their relationship (don't shoot! don't shoot!); well, my interpretation of their relationship anyway. The premise for this started with Port Chicago: I started wondering, what if Mac got stuck with Singer on a out-of-town case? Toss in our favorite aviator and away we go...  
----------  
  
Part One  
  
JAG Headquarters  
Falls Church  
0908 Local  
  
Admiral Chegwidden shuffled through the various cases. "Commander Rabb, we have a Petty Officer accused of embezzling funds from the O Club in Norfolk. You'll defend." He slid the folder across the table.  
  
"Aye sir." The tall commander opened it and briefly scanned the contents.  
  
"Commander Turner."  
  
"Yes sir?"  
  
"Apparently the middies down in Annapolis became a little too exuberant this weekend. A barroom brawl spilled into the street and turned into a near riot. The state troopers had to intervene. Find out who started it and do what you can to assist the Commandant in soothing ruffled civilian feathers."  
  
"I'll do my best, sir." Sturgis looked up to see Harm give him a sympathetic smile.  
  
"Colonel," AJ looked at a folder. "The military police at NAS Memphis together with Federal authorities have broken up an internet porn ring. I'd like you to go out there to oversee the investigation and make sure all the ends are wrapped up quickly. The Navy is juggling enough negative publicity and I'd like to have this embarrassment handled by the time the media jumps on it."  
  
"Aye sir," Mac hesitated a moment, "Admiral? Won't I be stepping on the toes of the base JAG?"  
  
"Apparently not, Colonel, Lt. Cmdr. Brighton was one of those arrested."  
  
Mac's eyebrows went up in surprise. "I'll get right on it, sir."  
  
"Fine Colonel," Admiral Chegwidden paused and then said, "Lt. Singer will accompany you."  
  
"Thank you, sir," Lt. Singer said with a satisfied smile.  
  
Harm chanced a quick look at Mac. Her face was completely blank. He winced mentally, this wasn't good. All she said was 'Yes sir' in a neutral tone.  
  
AJ looked around the table, "That will be all. Dismissed." He waited while they came to attention and began to file out of the room, "Colonel? A moment please."  
  
She turned and waited, her face still expressionless, "Sir?"  
  
"Colonel... Mac... I realize the Lieutenant is probably your last choice for a partner on a case." AJ looked at her for a moment, 'Damn, she's really ticked.' He cleared his throat and continued, "Singer needs more seasoning in the field and I need someone to show her that she doesn't need to run roughshod over everything in her path," he paused again and then said dryly, "and it will get her out of the office before Lt. Sims tries to kill her." He gave a silent sigh of relief when he saw Mac relax and glance away for a moment.  
  
She looked back at him with a ghost of a smile, "Will I be expected to keep anyone else from trying to kill her?"  
  
"Within reason, Colonel." He smiled back. "Tiner has your travel arrangements. You'll leave first thing in the morning."  
  
Harm did his best to hover unobtrusively in the bullpen, not easy at 6'4". He was waiting for Mac to come out of the conference room. When he saw her, he moved in on an intercept course.   
  
"Hey." Harm said nonchalantly as he walked with her to her office. He followed her in and shut the door, "You okay?"  
  
"Yes. No. I don't know." She dropped into her chair with an exasperated sigh. "It was all I could do to keep from strangling her during the McBride case. And then that stunt she pulled with Harriet and Bud." She propped an elbow on her desk and rested her chin. "How much do you think it would cost to get the flight attendants to jettison her midway?"  
  
Harm smiled, "That would depend on whether or not she opened her mouth before you made the offer."   
  
Mac chuckled, "Maybe I can get Tiner to change her travel arrangements, Tennessee by way of Afghanistan."  
  
"When do you leave?"  
  
Mac glanced at the itinerary, "Flight 386 out of Dulles at 0920. Gives me twenty-three hours and fifty-two minutes to adjust to having Lt. Singer as a partner." She looked at Harm, "That's not nearly enough time."  
  
"Look, why don't you stop by my place after work? I'll make you a 'Good-Luck-You're-Gonna-Need-It' dinner." Harm grinned at her.  
  
Mac arched an eyebrow, "Cute, but aren't you going to be in Norfolk? When would you have time to cook?"  
  
"Okay, why don't you stop by my place after work and I'll order a 'Glad-It's-Not-Me' pizza." Harm said without missing a beat.  
  
"Jerk," Mac said with smile. "What time?"  
  
"How about 1930?" Harm said as he stood, he needed to get going.  
  
"Sounds good. Oh, and Harm?" He stopped in the doorway and looked back. "Thanks." He waved a hand and headed out.  
  
Washington, D.C.  
Dulles Airport  
0715 Local  
  
Mac glanced at Harm as he maneuvered his SUV through the airport towards the area designated for departing flights. Sometimes she felt she knew him better than she knew herself and other times... well... Harm was, without a doubt, featured in the dictionary under 'enigma'. To be fair, she was probably found under 'incomprehensible'. Mac smiled wryly to herself - obviously they were meant for each other. She had finally admitted her feelings about her best friend to herself (... and Sturgis - what the hell had she been thinking?!), she just wasn't sure about him. When she had been swept up in the firestorm of the 'Archangel' case, it had seemed like they were drawing closer. As things settled down in the aftermath, so had their relationship. Harm seemed content with the 'best friends' routine and she'd be damned if she'd get herself killed just to attract his attention. The absurdity of that last thought almost made Mac laugh out loud, she settled for a quiet chuckle. She glanced over to see Harm watching her with a puzzled smile. She shook her head and grinning, said, "There's fifty cents in it for you, Rabb, if you'll take my place on that plane."  
  
Harm raised his eyebrows, "I'm shocked! You think you can buy my integrity for fifty cents? ... The going rate's a buck."  
  
"It's not your integrity I want on that plane, mister." Mac rejoined, now she was laughing.  
  
"And the part you want would be... ?"  
  
Mac was saved from answering when he pulled into the parking area. Instead, she said, "Thanks for the ride, Harm. You really didn't have to do this, I could have driven myself."   
  
Harm shrugged, "But then you'd be worried about your 'vette the whole trip. You better get going. Have a safe flight and don't forget to return Singer in the same condition you found her."  
  
"Do I have to?" On impulse, she leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek, "Thank you." Grinning at his expression, she added, "Try to behave yourself while I'm gone."  
  
Harm smiled, that was a pleasant surprise. If he'd seen it coming, he could've turned his head just a bit... The rest of her words registered and he looked over to see Mac grinning at him. Putting on his best wounded expression, he said, "Who? Me? Sturgis is the rowdy one." He watched her disappear into the terminal and then pulled away from the curb. Their relationship was solidifying, he was hoping to let it progress naturally. Mac had a tendency to throw up walls when pushed emotionally; something he could thank that SOB father of hers for. But the next time those walls went up, he planned to be inside the gates.  
  
Memphis International Airport  
Memphis, Tennessee  
1045 Local  
  
Mac and Singer walked out of the gate area. It had been a quiet flight. They'd gone over the details of the case, Mac had told the lieutenant how she planned to handle it. Neither felt inclined to small talk, so the rest of the trip was spent in silence. Fortunately, it wasn't very long. Mac turned when she heard her name being called.  
  
"Colonel MacKenzie? Lt. Singer?" At their confirming nods, a young ensign came to attention. "Ensign Tyler, ma'am," he said addressing Mac. "Welcome to Memphis. May I take your bags? I have transportation, ma'am, if you'll follow me please." He was slightly built, with a soft southern accent.  
  
They handed over their carry-ons. "Thank you, Ensign," Mac said as they walked with him down the concourse. "How far is it to the base?"  
  
"Less than thirty miles, ma'am, but with the traffic, it will take about an hour to get there," the ensign replied looking over at Mac. "I'm assigned to the JAG office, I'll be your driver while you're here."  
  
"I see," Mac said with a smile, "Thinking about becoming a lawyer, Ensign Tyler?"  
  
"Yes ma'am," he said with enthusiasm, "I'm taking pre-law classes at night. Cmdr. Brighton says... " his voice trailed off uncertainly.  
  
They walked along in silence for a few minutes when Mac spoke again, obviously changing the subject, "I've been trying to place your accent. Are you from this area?" Behind her, Lt. Singer rolled her eyes. If there was anything less interesting than the ensign's career plans, it would be his place of origin.  
  
Ensign Tyler hesitated, catching the look on Singer's face. When he saw Mac's questioning glance, Tyler said hurriedly, "Ummm, not far from here ma'am. I'm from a little town near Murray, Kentucky. It's right by the southwest corner of the state." They arrived at the car and Tyler quickly stowed the bags in the trunk and went to unlock the doors. He was feeling somewhat confused. The office had been in turmoil ever since the arrest of Cmdr. Brighton. Then the news that they were getting not one, but two JAGs from Headquarters.   
  
He'd been anxious ever since he learned he would be their driver. Not only would he be ferrying around two big-league JAG officers, but one of them was a Lt. Colonel in the Marines. In his limited experience, Marines weren't famous for their warmth. He'd been hoping the Navy Lieutenant would be approachable and he wouldn't have to deal with the Colonel at all. Apparently, he'd gotten it backwards, it was the Lieutenant who looked at him like he was dirt.  
  
He was vaguely relieved when Colonel MacKenzie decided to ride shotgun. Perhaps the drive to base wouldn't be too uncomfortable. They were mostly silent as he negotiated the Memphis traffic. When he turned on to Hwy. 51, Mac remarked, "It's beautiful country out here. Everything's so lush."  
  
"Yes ma'am," Tyler said, glancing her way. She was still looking out the window. She looked back at him and smiled.  
  
"I grew up out west. This much greenery still surprises me." She resettled herself in the seat, "So tell me, Ensign, it's pretty landlocked out here. What made you decide on the Navy?"  
  
He offered a tentative smile, "Well ma'am, according to my daddy, the service would make a man out of me. I get airsick when I fly and I wasn't crazy enough to join the Marines..." He froze, the look of dismay on his face was almost comic. He stammered, "I'm sorry, Colonel! No disrespect intended, I ... "  
  
Mac interrupted him, "Ensign." He glanced at her in trepidation. "We prefer the term 'enthusiastic'."  
  
"Yes, ma'am," he said hesitantly. The Colonel was letting him off the hook? Maybe this assignment wouldn't be so bad...  
  
Lt. Singer sat back in disgust. She'd have been all over that ensign's six. Then again, she would have never bothered with such a banal conversation. He was their errand boy, not some long lost relation. All she was concerned about was that he jumped when she told him to. At least they were almost to the base and could get started on this assignment. Lauren was anxious to show them all what she could do. 


	2. Part 2

Part Two  
  
Memphis NAS  
Millington, TN  
1150 Local  
  
As they entered the base, Tyler looked over at Mac. "Where to, ma'am? I can take you to the VOQ first, if you prefer."  
  
"Why don't you take us to Headquarters, Tyler? We need to make our manners with the post commander. Afterwards you can drop us at the military police CP and I'd appreciate it if you would take our bags to our quarters. Then go get yourself some lunch."  
  
"Yes, ma'am." He paused and then asked, "Colonel? Would you like me to bring you and the Lieutenant something to eat when I come back?"  
  
"Thank you Ensign. I may take you up on that." Mac said as they pulled into a parking space in front of the Headquarters building. Tyler jumped out and hurried around to open doors for the two officers. He watched them stride into the building and leaned back against the fender to wait.  
  
Mac saw the yeoman pop to attention as she approached his desk, "As you were, Petty Officer. Lt. Col. MacKenzie and Lt. Singer to see Admiral Crowley, if he has a moment."  
  
"Yes ma'am." As the petty officer reached for his phone, the door to the Admiral's office opened. All three came to attention as Admiral Crowley and another officer walked into the outer office.  
  
Admiral Crowley stopped and looked at them. "As you were," he said. "You must be the JAG officers from DC."  
  
"Yes sir," Mac replied, "Lt. Col. MacKenzie and Lt. Singer. We were just reporting in."  
  
"I see," the Admiral turned and gestured to the other officer, "This is my chief of staff, Captain Koslov. We were just on our way to lunch. Join us, won't you?"  
  
"Thank you, sir." Mac glanced back at Singer, who gave a minute shrug. It hadn't been a request.  
  
O Club  
Memphis NAS  
1215 Local  
  
After they were seated, the four officers gave their lunch orders to the waiter. The Admiral and Captain Koslov both ordered bourbon with their meals. Crowley raised his eyebrows when Mac asked for water. "You'd better be careful, Colonel. You'll damage the reputation of the Corps... or was that some sort of backhanded criticism of myself and Captain Koslov for drinking on duty?"  
  
Mac shot him a quick look of surprise and then said carefully, "No sir, all it means is that I don't drink."  
  
"I see," the Admiral said. He sat and looked at her, then continued abruptly. "I understand you're Admiral Chegwidden's chief of staff. I'm surprised AJ could spare you from your duties." He smiled and indicated Captain Koslov, "Eric barely has time to turn around. You two should get together and compare war stories about dealing with irascible old men."  
  
Mac nodded and gave a small, wary smile. Beyond the inference that she was somehow remiss in her duties, there'd been that edge to his voice again. The Admiral definitely had a burr under his saddle about something. She wasn't sure if it was resentment on his part for the invasion of his turf or a problem he had with her personally. Either way, she planned to tread lightly.  
  
Lt. Singer sat back and watched with a certain amount of glee. Finally, someone who was less than impressed with the high and mighty Col. MacKenzie. This could work to her advantage.  
  
The food arrived and they all devoted the next few minutes to eating. Then the Admiral dabbed at his mouth with a napkin and remarked, "I believe I saw you on CourtTV last year, Colonel. You made quite a spectacle of yourself."  
  
Mac froze for a second and then said calmly, "It wasn't by choice, Admiral." She wondered what the hell was going on, this was remarkable behavior for a superior officer.  
  
"Of course, Colonel," he said smoothly. "You certainly manage to find yourself in all sorts of situations, don't you? I understand you were right in the middle of this debacle involving that allegedly illegal covert operation." Ignoring the look on Mac's face, he continued, "It was quite a blow to hear about Charlie Jacobs' death. We went back a long way, he and I were roommates at the Academy. My two boys are... were his godsons. He was fine man and an outstanding officer. It's reprehensible how his name is now being dragged through the mud, don't you think?"  
  
Mac sat perfectly still, not trusting herself to speak. She was still having nightmares because of that bastard. They'd gotten so bad that she had started going to a therapist that Emma Fine had recommended. Only Admiral Chegwidden had been aware of it. She had decided he needed to know in case he felt it necessary to replace his possibly unstable chief of staff... . Finally, Mac carefully folded her napkin and placed it on the table. She stood up and came to attention, "If you'll excuse me, Admiral, that's an ongoing investigation. I'm not at liberty to discuss it."  
  
She turned to leave when the Admiral's icy voice stopped her in her tracks. "I don't recall dismissing you, Colonel." Reluctantly, she turned back and came to attention again. He eyed her for a moment and then said, "You're a loose cannon, Colonel. I don't know how you've managed to survive this long in the military, but I won't stand for it on my base. You will toe the line and to that end, I will be overseeing all facets of your investigation while you're here, is that understood?"   
  
Mac was silent and then said in a tightly controlled voice, "With all due respect sir, the Lieutenant and I answer to the Judge Advocate General. You have no jurisdiction over a JAGman investigation. It will be my privilege to keep you informed of our progress and I hope to have your cooperation, but you do not have the authority to intervene." She paused and looked him in the eye, "Permission to withdraw, sir?"  
  
White-faced with anger, Admiral Crowley gave an abrupt nod.   
  
Mac turned and marched out of the O Club. Singer followed a minute later. She found the Colonel standing at the curb, talking to a chief petty officer. After he had saluted and left, Mac looked at Singer, "Well Lieutenant, this is going to make our job a little more difficult. The MP's post is about a mile from here. Ensign Tyler isn't due back here for another thirty-eight minutes. You can wait or walk." With that, she headed down the street.  
  
Singer watched the Colonel walk away. MacKenzie had to be insane if she thought for one minute Lauren would consider walking a mile anywhere. And that scene with the Admiral... admittedly he was out of line, but to spit in his eye like that was certifiable. Singer's eyebrows rose and a slow smile crept across her face. '... Yes, it must have been the terrible stress of the last few months. It's not surprising that poor Colonel MacKenzie might begin to crack... '  
  
Mac settled into an easy stride. She intended to walk off her anger before she got to the MPs. She'd been here one hour and forty-six minutes and things had already gone to hell. Had Chegwidden known about Crowley's relationship with Jacobs? She thought about it and dismissed the idea. The Admiral wouldn't have done that to her without some sort of heads-up. It would be difficult, but not impossible to work around the irate post commander. Mac didn't truly expect a lot of help from Singer, but some sort of ambush wouldn't be out of the question. She smiled sourly to herself, there was nothing quite as invigorating as being beset by allies as well as enemies.  
  
Military Police  
Memphis NAS  
1305 Local  
  
Mac walked into the lobby and up to the front desk. The lance corporal came to attention as she approached. "As you were, Corporal," Mac said, "I'm here about the case involving Cmdr. Brighton. Is Capt. Perez available?"  
  
"Let me check, ma'am." The corporal scanned through a paper on his desk. He looked up, "Yes ma'am, would you like me to have him come down?" He reached for the phone as he spoke.  
  
"No thank you, corporal." Mac said. "If you would tell me how to find the captain's office, you can call and let him know I'm on my way up." After listening to his directions, Mac made her way to the elevators. Several minutes later, she stood in the open doorway, "Capt. Perez?"  
  
A short, heavily-muscled young man came to attention and then smiled, "Col. MacKenzie? Please, come in and have a seat." They shook hands and Mac settled down in a chair. The captain picked up a folder and handed it to her. "This is the report about the bust, ma'am. I don't know how familiar you are with the details."  
  
Mac accepted the folder and opened it up. "I've read the case report. How did you find out about Cmdr. Brighton?"  
  
Capt. Perez sighed, "Actually, the FBI contacted us. They had an operation in place that they'd been working on for the last six weeks or so. When they realized they had some military personnel, they brought us in to coordinate the arrests."  
  
"How many others besides Cmdr. Brighton?"  
  
"Four, ma'am. Two petty officers, a staff sergeant and a seaman recruit. Would you like some coffee?"  
  
She shook her head, "No thanks." She read through the report, "Well, Captain, everything seems to be pretty straightforward. You and your people did a good job. I suppose now I need to head for the JAG office, is it far from here?"  
  
Capt. Perez beamed, it was nice to be complimented once in a while. Normally, what they heard while doing their job wasn't printable. "No ma'am, it's not." He hesitated, "Colonel?" Mac looked at him. "I'm sorry ma'am, I just remembered - when Cmdr. Brighton heard that JAGs from Headquarters were coming, he asked if he could speak with you. He's here in the brig."  
  
Mac raised an eyebrow, "Very well. Would you take me to him?"  
  
JAG Headquarters  
Falls Church  
1335 Local  
  
Admiral Chegwidden glanced at his phone as Tiner's voice came over the speaker, "Admiral? Lt. Singer is on line three. She'd like to speak to you."  
  
"Thank you, Tiner." The Admiral sat for a second, then sighed and picked up the phone, "Chegwidden."  
  
"Admiral, I'm sorry to bother you... " Singer paused.  
  
"What is it Lieutenant?" He really wasn't in the mood for games.  
  
"Sir, have you heard from Col. MacKenzie?"  
  
AJ sat up a little bit, "No Lieutenant. Is there some reason I should have?"  
  
Lauren sighed, "I was hoping she had contacted you. I seem to have lost track of her after she blew up at Admiral Crowley."  
  
"Excuse me Lieutenant?" AJ said incredulously, "Colonel MacKenzie did what?"  
  
"Well... 'blew up' is maybe a little strong," Singer hedged, "Admiral Crowley invited us to lunch with his Chief of Staff, Captain Koslov. We were chatting. I didn't hear everything, when suddenly Col. MacKenzie stood up and pretty much told the Admiral to butt out and that he had no authority over her. Then she left. I tried to smooth things over, sir. I know she's been under a lot of stress these past couple of months. By the time I got outside, she was gone."  
  
"I see," Admiral Chegwidden said slowly. "Thank you for calling Lieutenant. I'll look into it."  
  
Lt. Singer hung up with a satisfied smile. The ball was rolling. 


	3. Part 3

Part Three  
  
JAG Headquarters  
Falls Church  
1345 Local  
  
AJ sat back, deep in thought. He was aware of how Singer operated, the gist of what she had said was, no doubt, true. How it happened probably didn't play as well. Mac wouldn't have gone UA, but it was quite possible she had ditched Singer for the time being. Still, she had been under a tremendous strain during 'Archangel'. She'd told him that she was seeing a therapist to deal with the nightmares she was having. He snorted, Mac had seriously believed he would consider replacing her as his chief of staff because of it. 'Damn, what the hell was going on out there?' AJ punched his intercom, "Tiner? Find Cmdr. Rabb and have him come to my office ASAP."  
  
Harm knocked on the door and listened until he heard 'Enter'. Walking in, he came to attention and waited.  
  
"Have a seat, Commander." AJ gave him a chance to settle. "How is the embezzlement case going?"  
  
"Almost finished, sir." Harm said, "He accepted a deal: Full restitution, loss of rank and a letter of reprimand in his file. No brig time and he's still in the Navy. I just have to finish the paperwork."  
  
"Good, I want you to go to Memphis."  
  
Harm looked at AJ quizzically, "Sir?" His eyes widened, "Is Mac okay? Did something happen?"  
  
AJ held up a hand, "I just got a call from Lt. Singer. She said Mac had words with the base commander and then took off for parts unknown. The implication is that the Colonel is cracking up from all the stress of the last couple of months."  
  
Harm opened his mouth to ridicule the idea and then paused.  
  
AJ smiled grimly, "Good, isn't it? What's hard to believe is that Mac actually hasn't gone off the deep end after everything she's been through lately. So, even if you're sure it's a lie, there's that niggling little doubt..."  
  
"Do you think Mac got into it with the base commander, sir?" Harm asked weakly.  
  
"That part wouldn't surprise me," AJ leaned back in his chair. "Art Crowley is an obnoxious, overbearing horse's ass. The man could make a nun swear." He lowered his eyebrows at Harm, "You didn't hear that from me... Anyway, I was hoping he'd have the sense to steer clear but it wouldn't surprise me if he tried to seize control of the investigation. Crowley lives for publicity, he's made no secret of his political aspirations after his retirement. For all that, he's not a subtle man. Mac might very well have had to tell him to go to hell to get him to back off." He saw the look on Harm's face, "Not in those exact words, of course."  
  
AJ leaned back and folded his arms, "So I want you to go to Memphis and run interference for the Colonel now that Singer has made her position clear. God knows she really doesn't need the extra stress and we don't need Admiral Crowley courting the media." He shook his head in disgust, "Dammit, this shouldn't be that difficult a case. Most of the work is done, it's just a matter of checking for errors and closing loopholes. Barring complications, it ought be wrapped up by tomorrow night at the latest. With a little luck we can present the press with a 'fait accompli'." He looked over at Harm, "One last thing, leave Singer alone. I will deal with her when all of you return. Talk to Tiner about a flight out tonight."  
  
"Yes sir." Harm stood up, "Sir? Would it be all right if I contacted Pax River? Maybe I can catch a ride on a Tomcat. I'd get there faster."  
  
The Admiral smiled and waved a hand as he concentrated on the papers in front of him, "Fine, Commander." He shook his head as the door closed, "Pilots... "  
  
Brig  
Memphis NAS  
1350 Local  
  
Capt. Perez left Mac in a conference room and went to get Lt. Cmdr. Brighton. She sat down in one of the chairs and rested her elbows on the table. When she got back to her quarters - assuming Crowley had not arranged to have her stay in the brig - she needed to call Admiral Chegwidden. She'd see if Perez could contact Ensign Tyler to pick her up. Hopefully, Singer wasn't making the young man jump through hoops just to prove she could.  
  
Mac looked over as the door opened and Perez and another man walked in. He was middle-aged and stocky with a receding hairline and glasses. She stood up as the two men came to attention. "Cmdr. Brighton?"  
  
"Yes ma'am." Brighton glanced over at Perez and then back at Mac.  
  
Mac looked at the captain, "Would you excuse us please, Captain? Oh, and I would appreciate it if you could locate Ensign Tyler from the JAG office. He's been assigned as my driver. Thanks."  
  
They waited until he left, then Mac indicated the chairs, "Shall we sit?" They settled down and looked at each other for a moment. Mac said, "You realize I am not here as your lawyer? If you want, we can have someone come to represent you."  
  
Brighton shook his head, "No thank you, ma'am. What I have to say doesn't concern my problems." He looked down at the table for a moment and then looked at her. "I need you to ... I'm asking you to continue an investigation I've started." He held up a hand, "Before you say no, would you hear me out?" Mac nodded slowly. He took a deep breath and began:  
  
"Last week, I began to look into the case of a missing petty officer, Alan Jarvis, from the quartermasters. He'd been declared UA. The more I looked into it, the more it didn't fit the normal pattern. According to his fit reps, he was an excellent worker, smart and conscientious. He's been recommended for OCS and he's well-liked by his colleagues. His home life seems normal enough, he's been married for about two years. No children yet, his parents are dead and the wife's frantic. She's been contacting everyone she can think of and keeping our office apprised of her efforts. He's just vanished."  
  
"You think there's been foul play." Mac interjected.  
  
"Yes, it seems to be the logical assumption, although there's no evidence in that direction either." Brighton took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes.  
  
"But... " Mac prodded.  
  
"That's just it," Brighton said in exasperation, "I keep getting this feeling I'm being played. There's not a damn reason to feel this way, but I do. I must have missed something. I was starting to go through all of it again when... well... " He gestured at the room, "Would you look over my notes? Maybe a fresh perspective will turn up something... or nothing." He sighed, "At the moment, I'm not sure about anything anymore."   
  
Mac leaned back in her chair, thinking. This was definitely outside the scope of her assignment. On the other hand, the internet case was pretty much open and shut. Depending upon what she found at the JAG office, everything should be wrapped up by early tomorrow. Even Singer couldn't overkill this case. 'What the hell, what could it hurt to check his files?' Mac looked at Brighton, "All right, Commander. I'll take a look. Is there anyone in the JAG office who is also familiar with this case?"  
  
Brighton smiled with relief, "Thank you Colonel." He relaxed a little, "No one else was involved with it, although Ensign Tyler did some legwork for me. He only knows about the information I asked him to track down for me. He's a bright kid, he'd probably be able to give you a hand if you needed one."  
  
They both stood up, Mac went and knocked on the conference room door. A PFC opened it and looked in. "Private," Mac said, "Would you please escort Cmdr. Brighton back to his cell? And do you know if Capt. Perez was able to get in touch with Ensign Tyler?"  
  
"Yes ma'am." The PFC gestured for Cmdr. Brighton to precede him. He looked back over at Mac, "I thought I heard him say the ensign had to pick up another officer at the base airfield. The captain should be back soon, he's arranging other transportation for you."  
  
"Thank you, Private." Mac said. She glanced at Brighton, "I'll look everything over and be in touch."  
  
Memphis NAS  
JAG office  
1345 Local  
  
Lauren Singer walked into the JAG office and looked around. Three enlisted personnel who were obviously the support staff were busily working at their desks. A Lieutenant came out of a side office and walked up to her, "Lt. Singer? I'm Lt. Barker, Cmdr. Brighton's exec." He glanced behind her, "We were also expecting a Col. MacKenzie. Has there been a change in plans?"  
  
Singer looked surprised, "She's not... ". She cleared her throat, "I'm sure the Colonel will be along shortly. Would you show me where I'll be working?" Keeping her face expressionless at Lt. Barker's puzzled look, she allowed herself a slight smile after he turned around. Following him into a small conference room, she put her briefcase on the table, "If you would bring me all the pertinent files, Lieutenant, I'd like to get started." Lauren sat down with certain sense of satisfaction. With some judicious maneuvering, this could work out perfectly. It was an unexpected break that the commanding officer hated MacKenzie on sight. Chegwidden must not have known about Crowley's friendship with the infamous Admiral Jacobs, otherwise he'd have never sent his precious little chief of staff out here.  
  
She looked up with a smile when the Lieutenant walked back into the room with an armful of folders. "Thank you Lieutenant." She let a slight look concern cross her face, "Lieutenant? Would you let me know if Col. MacKenzie checks in? I'm a little worried... " Her voice trailed off. Lt. Barker's eyebrows rose in surprise. She leaned forward and said conspiratorially, "The Colonel just finished up a rather difficult case. Between that and her duties as chief of staff, she's gotten a little... ummm... stressed. I think Admiral Chegwidden thought this would give her a break without having to resort to anything... official." Lauren looked down at the files to give Barker a chance to digest that last tidbit. She glanced back up and said with a long-suffering sigh, "I guess I'd better dive in. Could I trouble you for a cup of coffee?"  
  
"Certainly, Lieutenant." Barker said, still looking slightly startled. The office was already reeling from the Commander's arrest, now they were going to have to deal with a senior officer teetering on the edge of a breakdown? This was going from bad to worse. He'd been amused at Ensign Tyler's fretting over being the driver for the two JAGs. Tyler had been almost comical worrying about dealing with a field grade Marine officer. Apparently, the ensign had been right on the money. ... Goddamn, now he was feeling stressed. 


	4. Part 4

Part Four  
  
Memphis NAS  
Airfield  
1412 Local  
  
Harm walked out of the Air Ops building, adjusted his cover and looked around. There hadn't been any Tomcats available but he'd been lucky and caught a ride with an air transport out of Pax. All things considered, he'd decided he would rather talk with Mac first before he tangled with Admiral Crowley or Lt. Singer. He broke off from his musing to see a young ensign saluting him. He returned the courtesy and waited.  
  
"Are you from the Headquarters JAG, Commander?" the young man asked. At Harm's nod, he continued, "I'm Ensign Tyler with the JAG office here. Can I give you a lift somewhere?" He reached for Harm's overnight bag as he spoke.  
  
"Commander Rabb. Thank you, Ensign." Harm replied. "Actually, I'd like to find Colonel MacKenzie first. Do you know where she is?" He was surprised when the Ensign looked uncomfortable.  
  
"No sir," Tyler said, "I was supposed to pick up the Colonel and Lt. Singer in front of the O Club at 1300. The Lieutenant was there, but not the Colonel. She said she had no idea where Colonel MacKenzie was at the moment and not to worry about it. I finally dropped the Lieutenant off at the JAG office about twenty-five minutes ago. Then I got word to come pick you up. Where shall I take you sir?"  
  
"Post headquarters, Ensign. I assume the Admiral is back from his lunch?" Harm said with a sigh, he wasn't looking forward to this.  
  
Fifteen minutes later, Harm stood braced at attention in Admiral Crowley's office as the Admiral marched angrily back and forth across his office.  
  
"Goddamn arrogance!! As much as told me to mind my own damn business on my own damn base! What the hell kind of outfit is Chegwidden running anyway? First, my own JAG gets himself arrested and then I get this... this... " the Admiral sputtered for a second, "this female! I've seen her record, I don't know why the hell she's still in the Corps." He paused and remarked with a leer, "Well, I suppose we both know how it might have happened." Crowley turned and glared at Harm, "And don't think for one minute she can run roughshod over my command and not answer for it! What I want to hear from you, Commander, is an apology and your promise to keep Colonel MacKenzie in line and away from me. I will not have her disrupting my base. Are we clear?"  
  
Harm swallowed and then said, "Yes sir." Years of experience as a litigator kept his face impassive. If he had his way, Admiral Crowley would be missing a number of teeth right about now. Mentally bracing for the next explosion, he continued, "Sir, I'm afraid you've misunderstood my role here. Colonel MacKenzie is still in charge of the investigation. Lt. Singer is inexperienced and I'm here only to assist in any way in order to expedite this matter."  
  
Crowley stood frozen and red-faced, "I see. You too, Commander? Obviously, the Colonel gets around. ... Who knows? Maybe I'll get lucky, too," he added sarcastically.  
  
Harm's eyes narrowed dangerously. In a soft voice, he said, "If you have specific charges to file against Colonel MacKenzie, I would suggest you do so, sir."  
  
The two men glared at each other, Harm's implied threat hanging in the air. Abruptly, the Admiral turned away, "Get out of my office, Rabb. Just remember, all of you had better watch your step while you're here."  
  
"Yes sir." With that, Harm pivoted and marched out of the office. He was seething. That pompous son of a bitch! He strode angrily out of the building, barely acknowledging Tyler's salute as he got into the car, "Take me to the JAG office, Ensign."  
  
Memphis NAS  
JAG office  
1450 Local  
  
Tyler pulled into a parking space in front of the JAG offices. Harm got out and looking towards the entrance, saw a familiar figure. "Mac? MAC!" he called, hurrying up the walkway. "Where have you been?"  
  
Harm? Mac turned around in surprise and saw the tall commander walking quickly towards her. "Harm? What are you doing here? Is there a problem at JAG?"  
  
"No, no problems in DC. Singer called the Admiral about your set-to with Admiral Crowley... " Harm hesitated a moment. He'd been so anxious to get up here, he hadn't considered how Mac might look at the situation.  
  
"What?!"  
  
Harm flinched, that one word delivered in a low, flat tone, told him just how dangerous the waters were that he was about to enter. "Admiral Chegwidden's not questioning your competence, Mac. It's just that he knows Admiral Crowley... "  
  
"He knows Crowley?" Mac interrupted. Dammit, he did know about Crowley's friendship with Jacobs! Why didn't he warn her? Unless he wanted to see if she could handle it - and here was Harm to pick up the pieces. Obviously, she hadn't met his expectations... .  
  
"Mac?" Harm asked a little nervously, she'd been staring at him. "Look, we weren't sure where you were and the Admiral just thought... "  
  
"For godsakes Harm!" Mac interrupted again, "I've only been here four hours and seven minutes. How many places could I be? Did it occur to either of you that I might be working?"  
  
"But Lt. Singer said she couldn't find you after you got into it with Admiral Crowley," Harm defended himself.  
  
Mac stared at him in exasperation, "Singer said... ? Singer wouldn't admit she knew where I was if I was standing on her shoulders at the time."  
  
"Mac, I'm just here to help you." This wasn't going well at all.  
  
"You're here to help me?! Let me tell you how this 'helps' me. This case is a milk run. It barely merits a senior attorney and if Lt. Singer didn't have a penchant for making mountains out of molehills, she'd have this all to herself. So the JAG people here are probably already wondering what the hell it is about this case that it takes two attorneys. I've got a post commander who's questioning why I'm still in the military, much less whether I have any lawyering skills and now, apparently, even my own CO is wondering about my fitness because he's sent you, another senior attorney, to hold my hand. So now, everyone involved in this will be wondering if I'm stupid, incompetent or both. I could do without the 'help', thank you very much." Mac crossed her arms and waited.  
  
Harm flushed, "C'mon Mac, no one believes that. The Admiral just worried. He didn't think you needed any more stress right now."  
  
Mac was silent with surprise, then said softly, "I see." Chegwidden thought she was about to go over the edge? 'Well what the hell did you expect, MacKenzie? You practically told him you were cracking up when you told him about the nightmares and the therapy.' She felt a little sick. "Fine Harm, do whatever you need to do." She turned away and entered the building.  
  
Harm stood there in disbelief. What had just happened? He'd been prepared to deal with her anger, God knows he'd faced it before and survived. But this? What the hell was going on?  
  
Memphis NAS  
JAG office  
1500 Local  
  
Lt. Barker looked up to see a Marine Lt. Colonel standing in the bullpen. Swallowing a little nervously, he hurried out of his office. "Col. MacKenzie? I'm Lt. Barker, Cmdr. Brighton's exec, we've been expecting you. Lt. Singer is set up in the conference room, I'll take you to her." He stopped when the Colonel held up a hand.  
  
"Actually Lieutenant, I'm sure Lt. Singer is handling everything. I've been talking Cmdr. Brighton and he's asked me to look into another case of his. If you would show me to his office and help me find his notes on the Jarvis case, I'd appreciate it." She stood looking at him expectantly.  
  
Lt. Barker looked at her warily, "You interviewed Cmdr. Brighton?" His eyes widened as he glanced over her shoulder, the latest JAG was a full commander? Now what was going on?  
  
Mac turned to see Harm walking towards them. She turned back to Barker, "This is Commander Rabb, he'll be overseeing Lt. Singer's work." She raised her eyebrows at the Lieutenant, "Cmdr. Brighton's office? The Jarvis file?"  
  
"Uhhh, yes ma'am." He gestured to a seaman, "Commander? Seaman Franks will take you to the conference room." He turned back to Mac, "This way, ma'am." What the hell was going on??  
  
Harm stood silently and watched her retreating figure, until the seaman nervously cleared his throat. "Sir? If you'll follow me?"  
  
Sighing to himself, he trailed after Seaman Franks.  
  
Lauren glanced up from her files as she heard the door start to open. Taking a breath, she started to say that she didn't want to be disturbed, when she saw Rabb standing in the doorway. "Commander, " she said faintly - damn, she should have known the Admiral would have sent another one of his pets out to rescue the other. Still, she wasn't about to concede defeat. She widened her eyes, "Have you found the Colonel, sir? I've been worried."  
  
Harm regarded her stonily, "I'm sure you have been, Lieutenant." He stared at her silently. Singer stared back. Harm had to admit - she had nerves of steel. "I've already talked to the Colonel," he stated and then decided to take a chance. He scowled and said, "She filled in some of the details you neglected to mention to Admiral Chegwidden."  
  
Singer's mind raced, "I wasn't lying, sir. I didn't know where the Colonel was when I called. She told me she was going to the MPs, but I had no way of knowing whether she actually went there or not. And after that scene with Admiral Crowley, I couldn't be sure where she'd wind up. She was pretty upset when he told her he was an old friend of Admiral Jacobs."  
  
"What?" Harm looked at her in surprise. Some pieces fell into place. The Admiral apparently hadn't known about the friendship with Jacobs; except, goddammit, he'd blithely told Mac that Chegwidden knew Crowley. She probably thought the Admiral had tossed her into the lion's den without any kind of warning. It certainly explained Crowley's animosity, it was an open secret in the higher echelons of the Naval community that Mac had been at the eye of the 'Archangel' storm. He turned around and left.  
  
Singer looked after him. Son of a bitch, she'd fallen for his ploy and said more than she had intended. Well, maybe he'd spend all his time chasing after the Colonel and she'd still get this case all to herself. She'd keep her eyes and ears open and bide her time. 


	5. Part 5

Part Five  
  
Memphis NAS  
JAG office  
1518 Local  
  
Harm stopped to ask where Cmdr. Brighton's office was and then hurried across the bullpen. He rapped on the doorframe and stuck his head in, "Mac?"  
  
Mac looked up wearily, "Yes?"  
  
Harm walked the rest of the way into the office, "I just talked to Lt. Singer."  
  
"Fine." Mac looked back down at the file in front of her.  
  
"Mac, c'mon, we need to clear a few things up." Harm said in exasperation, he really wanted to explain.  
  
"Not here and not now," Mac kept her eyes on the papers on the desk. She didn't want to think about it, much less talk.  
  
"Mac... at least look at me." Why the hell did she have to be so difficult?  
  
She raised her eyes and gave him a flat look. "Commander, I'm sure you have some very reasonable explanations, but it doesn't change what I said before. This is not the time nor the place and I'd appreciate it if you'd leave me some shred of dignity. Now if you'll excuse me... " She returned her attention to the file, not bothering to see if he left or not.  
  
Harm stared at her, then turned around and walked out. Goddammit, she was stubborn! He went back to the conference room and sat down without a word. Singer started to speak and he silenced her with a glare. Something was going on with Mac and he didn't like it. He thought he'd seen her in almost every mood over the years, but there was something here that was disturbing. He couldn't remember the last time Sarah MacKenzie had walked away from a fight. He felt slightly shocked at the idea. It seemed inconceivable that she would just quit. Harm frowned to himself, dammit, what was wrong with her?  
  
Mac sat back and bleakly regarded the files in front of her. She felt overwhelmingly tired. It had been doubly deflating to discover the Admiral thought it necessary to send Harm out here. She always seemed to be beating her head against a wall, maybe it was time to give up and get out. Mac sighed ruefully and ran a hand through her hair. She'd think about it later. Right now, at least, she would keep her word to Cmdr. Brighton and give the Jarvis case her full attention. She leaned forward and began going through the notes again. A slight sound made her look up, Ensign Tyler stood nervously in the doorway, holding a can of Coke and a cup. She gave him a warm smile, he was a nice kid. "Yes, Tyler?"  
  
"Umm, ma'am? I thought you might like something to drink, you've been in here a while." He held up the soda. He'd been out in the bullpen the last hour doing his best to quash the 'Long-suffering Lieutenant and the Crazy Colonel' rumors. He liked Colonel MacKenzie, she reminded him of Cmdr. Brighton. Right from the start, she had treated him like... he searched his memory for the phrase he'd read once... 'like a fellow member in the profession of arms.' At any rate, he was familiar with people like Lt. Singer. He was from a large extended family and grown up with one or two. They'd smile sweetly at you while kicking the crutches out from under a cripple. Then they'd scream to everyone within earshot about what you had done.  
  
"Tyler?" The Colonel's voice broke him out of his reverie. He blushed furiously, he'd been standing there looking at her like some kind of dolt. Gritting his teeth, he met her eyes only to see her regarding him patiently without a hint of amusement. At that moment, he would have followed her anywhere.  
  
"Thank you Ensign, that was very thoughtful of you," Mac said gravely. She thought she detected the beginnings of a crush, there was no way she would embarrass the young man by laughing at him. She accepted the soda and waved towards a chair, "Do you have a minute, Tyler?" He nodded eagerly and dropped into the chair.  
  
Mac looked down at Brighton's notes again, he was right - something was off. She looked back up at Tyler, "I talked to Cmdr. Brighton earlier today. He asked me to look into a case he was working on: Alan Jarvis?" At Tyler's nod, she continued, "He said you had given him a hand and suggested that you might be able to help me as well. Would you be interested?"  
  
"Yes ma'am!" Tyler said enthusiastically.  
  
"Good." Mac stood up and began gathering papers. Closing her briefcase, she looked at Tyler and smiled, "Let's go talk to some people." She walked through the bullpen and gestured for the ensign to continue. Knocking on the doorframe, she looked into Lt. Barker's office. Waving to him to keep his seat, she said, "I'm going to need Ensign Tyler for a couple of hours, while I conduct some interviews. Would you arrange for additional transportation for Cmdr. Rabb and Lt. Singer? Thank you." She strode out of the office.  
  
Catching up with Tyler in the parking lot, she stood and looked at him while she contemplated her plans. As the silence stretched out, he had to force himself not to fidget. Finally, Mac said, "Ensign, I think we'll go to Supply first and talk with Jarvis' CO." She gave him a small grin, "And I think we'll go the whole nine yards. Feel like playing the overawed and slightly stupid junior officer to my overbearing and disdainful officer from the East?"  
  
Ten minutes later, they pulled into Supply. "Showtime," Mac said softly from the back seat. On the drive over, she had filled him in on what she needed him to do. Tyler scurried around to the passenger side, opened her door and popped to attention. Mac got out and swept past him. Quickly, he shut the door and hustled past her to open the door to the building. She sailed through without slackening her pace or acknowledging his presence. Marching up to the front desk, she eyed the staff sergeant standing at attention. "Lt. Col. MacKenzie of the Headquarters JAG. I'm here to see Captain Harvester.  
  
"Yes ma'am. Is he expecting you?" the sergeant asked.  
  
Mac raised an eyebrow and said coolly, "Would it matter? This is the only time I could find to fit him into my schedule. Where is he?"  
  
"I believe he's still in his office, ma'am. Would you like me to check?"  
  
"Yes, sergeant." Mac snapped, "I'd like to keep my wandering around this godforsaken base to a minimum."  
  
The sergeant flushed and picked up the phone. He spoke quietly for a moment and then looked at Mac. "He's waiting for you, Colonel. Second floor, third office on the right."  
  
Mac turned and walked off without another word. Tyler gave the sergeant an apologetic look and hurried after her. He made it onto the elevator just as the doors closed. Mac glanced at him and said with an amused smile, "You jump quite well, Ensign Tyler."  
  
He smiled back, "My mama's southern-born and bred, Colonel MacKenzie. I've had a lot of practice."  
  
When the elevator doors opened, he was standing silently behind her once again. Mac marched through the office area, walked into Captain Harvester's office and shut the door. Tyler looked around the area and headed for an empty desk. He looked over at a petty officer and asked, "Is it okay if I sit here? That colonel is going to run the feet right off of me."  
  
"Sure, go ahead," said the petty officer sympathetically. "Who's the Ice Queen?"  
  
"Some big-shot JAG lawyer from Washington," Tyler replied. "She can't believe she's out here in the back-end of nowhere looking into that UA case and she's taking it out on me." He gave a long-suffering sigh. He looked at the computer, "Hey, are there any games on this thing?"  
  
"I think so," the petty officer said, "Check the harddrive. I don't play that much, Al was the expert."  
  
"Really good, huh?" Tyler was staring at the screen, hitting keys.  
  
"Oh yeah, a real technogeek. There wasn't anything he couldn't do with a computer. He revamped our entire inventory setup. Captain Harvester called him our 'secret weapon'. He didn't want the brass to find out and transfer him somewhere else." The petty officer seemed to realize he was babbling and trailed off.  
  
"Can't blame him for that," Tyler agreed amicably, "Once the brass sets their sights on you, your whole life goes to hell." He looked around, "Is Al here? Maybe he can tell me how to get past Level 15, that's where I always crash and burn."  
  
"Uhhh... " the petty officer hesitated uncomfortably.  
  
Tyler's eyebrows rose in surprise, "He's the UA? Man, I hope that colonel doesn't find him. She'll tear strips right out of his hide." Just then, the door to Harvester's office opened. Tyler jumped and hurriedly hit some keys, "Gotta go." He ran after Mac as she strode out of the office. They kept quiet until Tyler had pulled away from the curb.  
  
Mac smiled when she saw Tyler look in the rearview mirror. "Let's find someplace out of the way to eat and compare notes, Ensign."  
  
Memphis NAS  
JAG office  
1645 Local  
  
Harm sat back and watched Singer interview another of the accused. There hadn't been much to do. The FBI had caught them dead-to-rights, the MPs had taken it from there. It'd been a matter of crossing t's and dotting i's. So far, all those interviewed were willing to deal out of court. They just had to decide the degree of punitive action. This was the only area where he had to keep an eye on Singer. She'd have someone walking the plank if she thought it would look good in her record. Mostly, he kept half an ear on the proceedings, and worried about Mac. If he could get her to agree to dinner with him, maybe she'd let him explain. The harder part would be getting her to talk. He looked over at Singer when he heard her address him.  
  
"That's it except for Cmdr. Brighton, sir."  
  
"Fine Lieutenant, we'll catch him in the morning and finish up." He paused and then said, "Nice work, Lauren. Let's call it a day, I could use a break and I'm sure you could too." He stood up and walked to the conference room door. Looking out, he saw that Cmdr. Brighton's office was dark. He headed over to Lt. Barker's office and looked in, "Lieutenant? Do you know where Col. MacKenzie went?"  
  
"No sir, she just said she needed Ensign Tyler while she went to conduct some interviews and that she'd be gone for a couple of hours. I've lined up Petty Officer Fazzio to fill in as your driver until Tyler gets back."  
  
Harm grunted to himself in annoyance, what was she doing? He looked back at Barker, "Thank you, Lieutenant. If Col. MacKenzie returns here, would you tell her I'm at the VOQ?" He'd get cleaned up and give the Admiral a call. He had a feeling neither one of them would enjoy the conversation. Harm glanced back to see a tall, thin petty officer approaching along with Lt. Singer. "Lieutenant, I'm going to the VOQ. I'll see you at 0830 tomorrow." He turned and left, the petty officer hurrying after.  
  
Memphis NAS  
1740 Local  
  
Tyler glanced over at Colonel MacKenzie as they drove onto the base. They'd just spent over an hour with Alan Jarvis' wife. The Colonel had proved to be a quiet and sympathetic listener. Mrs. Jarvis had been grateful to have an attentive audience and been remarkably open. The elusive petty officer was coming more and more into focus.  
  
Mac gazed out the window with a thoughtful frown on her face. The first thing that had come to mind upon hearing of the missing petty officer's computer prowess was arms theft. The only way to know for sure would be a physical inventory to compare with the computer inventory. She devoutly hoped it wouldn't lead to some nutty militia group. She'd had enough of them with Lt. Rivers. Still, there were enough anomalies to convince her it wouldn't be quite that simple. All in all, it was an intriguing puzzle. She'd spread it all out in her quarters and see if something clicked. Maybe she could get Harm to take a look.   
  
Mac sighed a little and gave a small smile when Tyler glanced her way. That was assuming Harm was speaking to her. He was probably angry after she'd blown him off and left him to Singer this afternoon. That line of thought brought her back to the dismal matter of Chegwidden's lack of confidence. Damn... she'd managed to shove it to the back of her mind while dealing with the Jarvis UA. Obviously, she'd have to resign as his chief of staff. Maybe she could a permanent posting back on the Guadalcanal. It would be considered a step back career-wise but hell, her career was probably dead in the water anyway. For that matter, maybe Webb could find something for her. Being official CIA couldn't be any more dangerous than being ad hoc CIA...  
  
Mac looked up in surprise when the car came to a halt. They were at the VOQ. Tyler hurried around to her side and opened the door for her. She grabbed her briefcase and climbed out. Turning to look at the Ensign, she gave him a tired smile, "Thank you for all your help this afternoon, Tyler. You're going to be a hell of an investigator. I'll see you in the morning." Mac heard her name being called and turned to look over her shoulder. Harm was just coming out of the VOQ.  
  
Tyler heard an odd little clatter and glanced down at the pavement. A small round object came skittering out from under the car. His eyes widened in shock, "GRENADE!" He had a brief glimpse of the startled look on the Colonel's face before he hit her with a flying tackle that would have made his coaches proud. His momentum carried them halfway across the car hood before the detonation blew them off the rest of the way. They hit with a bone-jarring thump and rolled to a halt. A second explosion told him the car had just gone up. He hugged the ground and covered his head, wincing as debris rained down on them.  
  
Harm stared in shock even as he hit the ground during the first explosion. He started scrambling towards Mac and the ensign, hitting the ground again when the car blew up. He was up and running before all the pieces landed. He was the first to reach them, yanking off chunks of metal, heedless of the sharp edges. Tyler groaned and rolled onto his side, holding his head. He was covered with cuts from debris. Harm concentrated on Mac. She hadn't moved. Harm winced when he saw blood flowing from a metal shard embedded in her forearm. He put a couple of fingers on the side of her neck, tentatively searching for a pulse and heaved a sigh of relief. He could hear sirens approaching in the distance. 


	6. Part 6

Part Six  
  
Memphis NAS  
Base Hospital  
2010 Local  
  
Harm sat slouched in a waiting room chair and contemplated the dressing on his left hand. The slash from the debris hadn't been deep. He just had to keep it clean. He'd called the Admiral once already, he would call again as soon as the doctors saw fit to talk to him. Lt. Barker and, surprisingly, Lt. Singer were also there. He got to his feet as a doctor walked into the room. Barker and Singer got up and walked over. The doctor looked at all three, "Col. MacKenzie and Ensign Tyler will both be fine. I'm sorry it took so long, but we had to make sure all the lacerations were cleaned out. Fortunately, not too many required stitches. They both have very mild concussions. Col. MacKenzie also has some badly bruised ribs." He glanced at Harm, "Was there a previous injury?" At Harm's nod, he grunted thoughtfully and continued, "The wound in her arm was fairly deep, although it should heal without any problems. It nicked the bone but there doesn't seem to be any nerve damage. We'll keep them overnight to make sure there are no complications. You'll be able to see them in about fifteen minutes. Check with the station nurse for their room numbers." The doctor turned and left.  
  
Harm gave a sigh of relief and looked at the two lieutenants. "Lt. Barker, would you contact Ensign Tyler's family and let them know what happened?" He waited for Barker to leave then turned and looked at Singer, "Well, Lauren, I think it's safe to say we now have another investigation on our hands." He lowered his eyebrows at her and said softly, "The ground rules are going to be decidedly different for this. I would rethink my priorities if I were you - these people aren't screwing around. If you let your ambition cloud your focus, it's quite possible you could wind up dead." Harm turned away and headed for the nurses' station.  
  
Singer looked after him. She certainly didn't need the much-vaunted Commander Rabb to point out the obvious. She planned to keep a judicious distance from the Colonel. If some lunatic was trying to kill her, Lauren would not be the one caught in the crossfire.  
  
Base Hospital  
Mac's room  
2030 Local  
  
Mac looked over as Harm entered her room. "Harm," she smiled groggily, "We've got to stop meeting like this." She took a breath and winced, "I need new ribs."  
  
Harm smiled back at her, "I'm beginning to think you just like hospital food."  
  
"Is Tyler all right?" She squinted, it was hard keeping him in focus.  
  
"Better than you," Harm said, "He is younger, you know."  
  
"Don't remind me." Her voice trailed off.  
  
"Get some rest, Mac. I'll be right here." Harm said softly.  
  
Mac struggled back into wakefulness, "Harm... ?"  
  
"Someone tried to kill you Mac, I'm spending the night right here."  
  
She tried to sit up, only to have Harm put a hand on her shoulder. "Harm, my briefcase... my notes."  
  
"Safe in my quarters. The MPs will probably get after me for tampering with a crime scene," he said wryly.  
  
"That's definitely a possibility, sir," said a new voice from the doorway. Harm turned to see a young Marine captain standing there. "I'm Capt. Perez, with the MPs. The Colonel and I spoke earlier this afternoon." He walked up to the bed, "How are you feeling, ma'am?"  
  
"Like a car landed on me."  
  
Perez smiled sympathetically, "I've heard that hurts." He looked over at Harm, "Do you want to tell me what you tampered with, Commander?"  
  
"I grabbed the Colonel's briefcase and put it in my quarters for safekeeping. I would guess the reason for the attack has to do with what she was working on." Harm regarded the captain steadily, could he be trusted?  
  
Capt. Perez looked startled, "The internet porn ring?"  
  
"No. Brighton's UA: Alan Jarvis." Both men looked at Mac in surprise, this was because of a UA case?  
  
"I guess I rattled a few cages this afternoon..." She was having trouble keeping her eyes open.  
  
"Go to sleep, Mac. We'll discuss this in the morning." Harm gestured to Perez to move away from the bed. They met on the far side of the room. Harm said in a low voice, "I don't think it's a good idea to leave the Colonel or Ensign Tyler unguarded while they're here. I don't have the authority... "  
  
"But I do," finished Perez. "I'll assign someone to each room, sir. Then you and I can head over to your quarters and see if we can figure out what's going on." He looked at Harm and added dryly, "It makes us look bad when we blow up visiting officers for no apparent reason."  
  
"Okay, Captain, except that I'd rather we brought everything back here. I told Mac I'd stay and I'd prefer to keep an eye on her myself." He gave a small grin, "You wouldn't believe the amount of trouble she can get into on her own."  
  
"You have no room to talk, Rabb." said a sleepy voice.  
  
"Go to sleep, Bionic Ears." Harm said.  
  
Capt. Perez stifled a laugh, it was pretty obvious these two had a close and comfortable relationship. He walked to the doorway and looked down the hall. Catching the attention of several of his people, he gestured for them to join him. He quietly gave them their instructions and then looked back at Harm, "Any time you're ready, Commander."  
  
Harm had just reached the door when a commotion at the end of the hall made them look down that way. Harm's eyes widened. "Son of a bitch!" he said softly. He looked over to see Perez regarding him with surprise. "Tell your people not to leave the Colonel alone with anyone, I don't care who they are," he said tersely. "Tell them, Perez!" Harm hurried down the corridor.  
  
Harm met Admiral Crowley halfway down the hallway. Coming to attention, he said, "Admiral, may I help you?"  
  
"Certainly, Commander Rabb," Crowley said waspishly, "You and your cohorts can refrain from having my vehicles blown up while you're here. Do you have any idea how this looks? What the hell was MacKenzie up to? I've had the officer in charge of Supply bending my chief of staff's ear about her and now this!"  
  
Harm's jaws clenched and he said stiffly, "You'll be happy to know that Colonel MacKenzie and Ensign Tyler will both recover from their injuries, sir."  
  
The Admiral glared at Harm for the unvoiced rebuke and started to move around the tall commander.  
  
Harm took a stride backward and blocked the Admiral's path, still at attention, "Sir, I believe both the Colonel and Ensign are asleep. The doctors would prefer they not be disturbed."  
  
"They would, would they?" Crowley stared at Harm for a long moment. Capt. Perez walked up and came to attention next to the Commander. The Admiral shifted his attention, "Who're you?"  
  
"Capt. Roberto Perez, I'm in charge of the Military Police, sir."  
  
"Who's responsible for this, Captain?"  
  
"We're still investigating, sir."  
  
"Well, next time, prevent it!" Admiral Crowley spun on his heel and stomped back down the corridor, scattering hospital personnel.  
  
Perez looked at Harm in shock, "That's the craziest... was he serious?"  
  
Harm shrugged, "He's your CO." He looked up the hallway, "Is there another way out of here? I don't want to run into the Admiral again, if I can help it. We need to get Mac's files and get back here ASAP."  
  
"Yeah, this way, Commander," Perez turned and started walking. He looked over at Harm, "Is there a reason you don't want the Colonel left alone that I should know about, sir?"  
  
"Are you familiar with 'Archangel', Captain?" Harm watched him carefully.  
  
Perez looked uncomfortable, "Sir, that's a classified, ongoing investigation." His eyes widened, "She's the Marine officer that broke the case?! I thought it was some James Bond/Clint Eastwood type... " his voice trailed off in wonder.  
  
"That's Mac," Harm smiled grimly, "That case damn near killed her. She'll be a primary witness... if they ever get it to trial."  
  
"So you're not completely sure if the bombing was about Jarvis or 'Archangel'?" Perez asked.  
  
Harm nodded, "It gets better. You knew Admiral Crowley was good friends with the top man, Admiral Charles Jacobs?" Perez gave a short nod. "Well, he knows who Mac is; made a point of telling her about his old and dear friend, Charlie Jacobs."  
  
"You're kidding!?" Perez stopped walking. Harm turned to look at him and nodded. "Goddammit, this means Admiral Crowley is a suspect, too." Perez threw up his hands and resumed walking, "There goes my career... "  
  
The ride to the VOQ was mostly silent. The scene had been taped off and one lone enlisted man was standing guard. Perez went to talk to him while Harm headed for his room. He had his hand on the knob and was just inserting the key when the door was yanked open. He stumbled forward a step and had a brief impression of a dark ski mask. A hard object slammed into his midsection doubling him over and robbing him of breath. An agonizing jolt nearly lifted him upright. It seemed to go on forever as the intruder used the stun gun to shove him out of the doorway. His body felt like it was on fire, he couldn't talk, couldn't breathe. The end came abruptly and he collapsed in a heap in the hallway. A dark figure leapt over him and disappeared down the hall as Perez entered from the other end. Cursing, the captain ran towards the commander, drawing his sidearm. Rabb appeared to be semi-conscious. He was shaking, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Perez holstered his weapon and pulled out his cellphone. He hit the speed-dial and started barking orders. The captain glanced in at the disarray in Harm's room and swore again. 


	7. Part 7

Part Seven  
  
Memphis NAS  
2155 Local  
  
Harm sat propped against the wall in the hallway, sourly regarding the EMT who was fussing around him. They had fitted him with an oxygen tube and he had to admit it helped but the rest of the effects would just take time to dissipate. He now had two small burn marks on his abdomen to remind him of the stun gun attack. He was really beginning to hate those little devices.   
  
Harm looked around to try and locate Perez and spotted him down the hallway talking to Lt. Singer. At least she was okay, no one had gone after her... yet. He kept watch hoping to get the captain's attention. He hadn't had a chance to talk to Perez since the attack. Harm smiled dryly to himself, he hadn't actually been able to string a coherent sentence together until a few minutes ago. Finally the captain turned away and started back up the corridor. Harm raised a hand to get his attention, it was an effort.  
  
Perez knelt down beside him, "How're you feeling, Commander?"  
  
"Like a piece of toast," Harm said. Perez grinned at him. Harm nodded towards his room where MPs were busily taking pictures and scribbling notes, "Mac's briefcase?"  
  
Perez grimaced, "Empty, sir. I didn't see anything in the guy's hand, he must have had the papers shoved up under his shirt." He raised his eyebrows in surprise when Harm smiled.  
  
"Tell your people to look in the mattress, Captain."  
  
Perez went himself and returned a few minutes later holding several thick file folders. "The Colonel's files?" Harm nodded. "Then what did the intruder take?"  
  
"The depositions of a group of drunken sailors in Norfolk who barricaded themselves in a bar and declared their intention of seceding from the Union. The leader is claiming genetic imperative: His great-great-granddaddy had seceded, he couldn't help himself. I've been negotiating with the DA." Harm looked at Perez and grinned, "I switched the folders when I got to my room. Then I slit the mattress and stuffed Mac's files inside, it only took a minute. Paranoia can be a wonderful thing."  
  
The Captain laughed and shook his head, "I probably ought to arrest you for destruction of government property." He looked over as the EMTs approached with a stretcher.  
  
"We're ready to take Commander Rabb to the hospital, Captain."  
  
Harm was shaking his head, "Oh no, you're not."  
  
Perez folded his arms and looked at Harm, "Okay sir," he said equably, "I'll give you a thirty second lead to make your escape." At Harm's dirty look, he leaned down, "Let them take you, Commander, you're too damn big for me to carry."  
  
"Fine," Harm groused, "Just have them take me to Colonel MacKenzie's room."  
  
Perez looked at him in surprise, "Why? So you can do your impression of a speed bump? We drag you in like this and you'll scare the daylights out of her."  
  
"For godsakes Perez, this isn't permanent. I'll be fine in a couple of hours. Mac's probably asleep, you just have to get me into a chair. By the time she wakes up, I should be back to normal. I won't have to worry her at all." Harm adopted a reasonable tone.  
  
"Except that if you don't tell her about this, I will." Perez glared in exasperation at the rebellious look on Rabb's face. "She's a Lt. Colonel in the Marine Corps! Why the hell would you treat her like some fragile, airheaded female? That's condescending... and stupid, sir."  
  
Harm opened his mouth to protest and then shut it again. Finally, he said, "She's gonna be mad as hell about this."  
  
"Better at them than at you, Commander," Perez said, signaling the EMTs to get Rabb on the stretcher.  
  
Base Hospital  
Tyler's room  
2210 Local  
  
Tyler opened his eyes when the door to his room swung open. He'd been dozing off and on for the last hour. It'd been a bit of shock when he woke up the first time to find an MP stationed in his room. For one confused moment, he thought they were arresting him for letting the car blow up. He looked over and smiled when he saw Col. MacKenzie being wheeled in by another MP. "Hey, Colonel." He waved a bandaged hand towards the MP in the corner, "Look, I've got one too." He was feeling a little giddy from the pain medication. He tilted his head to the side and said in a conspiratorial tone, "Do you think I can take him home? I'll bet he can beat the hell out of Jitter Koutz."  
  
"He probably could," Mac agreed with a smile. She glanced over her shoulder and mouthed a quick thank-you to the corporal who had wheeled her over. She hadn't been able to rest for very long worrying about the young ensign and it had taken her half an hour to talk the corporal into helping her see him. Then he had only agreed when she promised to keep the visit to ten minutes. Mac looked back at Tyler, "Would you mind if I called you by your first name?"  
  
Tyler started to look a little uncomfortable. Mac hurriedly said, "If you'd rather not, I understand."  
  
"Oh no, it's not that, ma'am," Tyler said. He glanced at the MPs and lowered his voice, "My first name is Thaddeus." He looked a little forlorn and then brightened, "You could call me Pick, ma'am."  
  
"Pick?"  
  
"Yes'm. My big brother used to say I looked like a toothpick with ears when we were growing up. It kinda stuck." He looked at her expectantly.  
  
Mac eyed him for a moment and then said, "How are you, Pick?"  
  
"Fine, jus' fine ma'am," Tyler leaned back and looked at her for a moment, "Beggin' your pardon, but you look like someone pulled you through a keyhole, Colonel ma'am."  
  
Mac smiled, "Good thing, because I feel like someone pulled me through a keyhole. I wanted to thank you, Ensign, for what you did today. You saved my life."  
  
"Had to, you're nice." He gestured her closer. Mac carefully leaned in a little. Tyler said in a loud whisper, "I'd have left the Lieutenant on her own." He thought for a bit and then added in a conversational tone, "But she probably would have scared that little, bitty grenade right back under the car."  
  
"I think you need to rest a little more, Pick," Mac said with a small grin of amusement. "I'll see you in the morning." She looked over at the corporal to let him know she was ready.  
  
"Okay Colonel," Tyler agreed happily.   
  
"Good night, Ensign." The corporal turned Mac around and returned to her room. He helped her into bed and she was just leaning back against the pillows when the door opened. Her eyes widened in shock as she watched Perez wheel Harm into the room. She reacted automatically, swinging out of bed and moving towards them, ignoring the aches and pains. She froze the approaching corporal with a look and then glared at Perez and Harm, "What the hell happened?" The two men began talking over each other.  
  
"There was someone in Rabb's quarters... "  
"Mac, I'm fine. Really... "  
  
"He was after your files... "  
"It was just a stun gun... "  
  
"He didn't get them... "  
"I've had papercuts that felt worse... "  
  
"Shouldn't you be resting?"  
"What are you doing out of bed?!"  
  
Mac abruptly leaned against the side of the bed, the sudden move had been a mistake. Her head was pounding with a vengeance. Perez hurried to her while the corporal closed in from the side. Together, they got her back in bed while Harm looked on anxiously. Mac closed her eyes, the headache was making her nauseous. Perez watched her with concern and looked at the corporal, "Go find a nurse, Wallace." He glanced behind to see Harm struggling to get out of the wheelchair. Muttering under his breath, he took a long stride back and pushed Harm down in the chair. "Stop it, Commander," he hissed. "Unless you think collapsing on the floor is going to help."   
  
"Dammit, move me closer to the bed," Harm said in a low, irritated tone. He looked over Perez's shoulder with a sudden expression of alarm, "Mac... ?"  
  
The captain turned to find a pale and sweating Mac trying to get to the side of the bed. "Sick." was all she said. He grabbed for a wastebasket just as the corporal returned with the floor nurse. She took in the situation at a glance and moved quickly to the side of the bed, sliding an arm under Mac's shoulders. She looked at Perez, "Hold her head, young man." As Mac started to retch, she murmured sympathetically. Mac kept her arms wrapped tightly around her sides as she continued to heave. Perez winced to himself, that must hurt like hell with sore ribs. It was over quickly, Mac sagged against her two supporters. The nurse looked at the corporal and said, "Get some water, please." Then, with efficiency born of long practice, she got Mac resettled in bed.   
  
Picking up her chart, the nurse peered over her glasses at the three men, "Go away." She waited until they retreated to a far corner, then turned back to Mac and said quietly, "You refused your last pain medication."  
  
Mac gave a slight nod and answered softly, "I'm a recovering alcoholic. I'm not going down that road."  
  
The nurse sighed, "Honey, the doctors are a lot more careful these days. That's not going to happen."  
  
Mac carefully shook her head, the expression on her face told the nurse she wasn't changing her mind.  
  
"And there's no point in giving you the painkiller prescription?" The nurse made a notation on the chart, "Suit yourself, any objections to ibuprofen? ... Good, I'll bring some to you now." She turned and strode out of the room.  
  
Harm and Perez didn't waste any time returning to her bedside. "Mac?" Harm said, "You okay?"  
  
"Yeah," she said tiredly. Mac looked over at Perez, "Sorry about that, Captain."  
  
"No problem, Colonel," Perez smiled, "I'm just glad you missed my shoes." He looked at the two JAG officers, "I think we should call it a night, you both ought to be resting." He held up a hand when Harm started to speak, "I'll arrange for a cot, Commander, and see if I can finagle some scrubs for you to change into." He glanced at his watch, "Wallace came on duty about... "  
  
"Eighty-seven minutes ago." Mac supplied, her eyes closed as she settled back into the pillows.  
  
"Uh... yeah," Perez said looking startled. He glanced at Harm who shrugged his shoulders. "So his relief should be here in about half an hour. We're doing two hours shifts. I think we can get everything set up before Shapiro comes on duty." He broke off when the floor nurse came back in with a pill cup. He waited until Mac had swallowed the medication and then followed the nurse out. Twenty minutes later, it was all arranged. Perez took one last look around the room and turned out the light. 


	8. Part 8

Part Eight  
  
Base Hospital  
Mac's room  
0800 Local  
  
Capt. Perez strode up to Colonel MacKenzie's room. He nodded to PFC Clifford, rapped lightly on the door and walked in. Rabb had pulled a couple of chairs over to the bedside. He was leaning back in one with his feet resting on the other. The Colonel was sitting propped up against the pillows with a file folder in her lap. They looked over and smiled when they saw him.  
  
"Morning, sir, ma'am," Perez said, "You both look like you're feeling better." He held up two carryalls, "I brought you each a change of clothes from your quarters. Your uniforms were a little worse for wear after yesterday."  
  
"Bless you, my son," Harm said. He looked over at Mac, "Dibs on the shower!" He rose to his feet, reached for the bag Perez extended and disappeared into the bathroom.  
  
Mac looked after him with amusement and then turned back to Perez, "Thanks, Captain." She gestured towards the chair Harm had just vacated. Perez saw that she had been fitted with a plastic brace that went from her elbow to the palm of her hand. Mac noticed his attention and held it up, "A little something to keep me from aggravating my forearm."   
  
"And a useful tool when applied vigorously to the thick-headed," Perez said, doing his best imitation of an info-mercial.  
  
Mac laughed and answered in the same vein, "And it comes with its own fashion accessory, basic black in a classic sling design. Wear it when a full-body cast is inappropriate for the occasion."  
  
Perez smiled as he sat down, "How's your head, ma'am?"  
  
"There," Mac said. "Have you looked over any of these files?"  
  
"I skimmed through," he said more seriously, "Enough to know we'll have to have Supply conduct a physical inventory. That could take weeks, Captain Harvester will be highly pissed."   
  
Mac looked at him thoughtfully, "If there's something going on in Supply, a physical inventory will certainly tip our hand. We might as well put up a billboard that says 'Run and Hide'. What if we got the delivery manifests e-mailed to us from the manufacturers and compared that to the computer inventory?"  
  
"That could work," Perez said, mulling it over. "I have a computer geek on staff who could probably help. Oh, and our spot check last night hasn't turned up any missing grenades. We're still going through Ordnance but it looks like it wasn't one of ours. Forensics will take a couple of days and then we'll know for sure." Perez looked at her a little warily, "Has Commander Rabb mentioned any other theories for the attack?"  
  
"No," Mac said, looking slightly mystified. Her expression cleared and her eyebrows rose in surprise, "Oh!" She thought it over and shook her head slightly, "I don't think so."  
  
"Are you sure?" They turned to see Harm standing in the doorway of the bath.  
  
"Well, no," Mac admitted, "But why try to grab my files? Besides, it seems poorly planned. It would have been easier to just shoot me or wait until I was in my quarters to lob the grenade." She stopped and looked at the two of them, "All right, this conversation just became weird." Handing the file folder to Perez, she carefully slid out from under the covers. She flashed Harm a grateful smile as he offered a supporting hand. Picking up the carryall, she moved somewhat stiffly into the bathroom. Harm gazed after her with a concerned look and then visibly making up his mind, walked over and tapped on bathroom door, "Hey Mac?"  
  
"Yes?" she answered through the door. She had already gotten out of the hospital gown and robe and was contemplating her reflection. She looked like the poster girl for Roadkill Magazine. Another swimsuit season shot to hell.  
  
"Umm, are you going to be able to... I mean, you shouldn't get some of those dressings wet. Are you going to need some help?" Harm closed his eyes briefly, God, that was smooth - he sounded like an idiot.  
  
Mac wrapped a towel around herself and opened the door a crack. She regarded Harm's startled face with a grin and said, "Offering to wash my back, Sailor?" She watched him stutter a moment and then said more seriously, "I think I can handle it, but thanks anyway Harm." She added dryly, "I've had practice." Closing the door, she headed for the shower.  
  
Harm stood looking at the door a moment longer and then turned back towards the room. He saw Perez intently studying the files in his lap, "Oh shut up, Captain."  
  
Perez looked up with an innocent expression, laughter lurking in his dark eyes. He waited until Harm had settled in the other chair and cautiously ventured, "Are you two... ?"  
  
"No," he said shortly.  
  
"No?" Perez said in surprise. They sat in silence for a couple of minutes, then he said thoughtfully, "Think she'd be interested in going out with a younger man?"  
  
"No."  
  
Perez smiled to himself and returned to reading the files. They worked through the papers in silence. After about ten minutes, Harm began to glance at his watch and fidget. He waited a couple more minutes and had started to get up when the door to the bathroom opened. "About time, Marine. I thought you got lost in there."  
  
Mac arched an eyebrow at him, "Nineteen minutes and twenty-three seconds. I thought I was doing pretty well, all things considered." She looked over at Perez, "Thank you Captain," indicating her uniform blouse. He had taken the time to attach all the correct insignia, something she'd have had trouble with one-handed. She looked at the two men and said, "What about Ensign Tyler?"  
  
"They're releasing him too, Colonel. I understand he's taking a day of sick leave." Perez replied, looking slightly puzzled.  
  
"Will you be continuing his protection, Captain?" Mac asked.  
  
"Well, no. Not after he leaves the hospital, ma'am." Perez looked at her a little more sharply.  
  
"You think he's a target, Mac?" Harm asked.  
  
"It's possible. Apparently I am, either way. But if this is about the Jarvis UA, then Tyler could still be at risk too. He knows quite a bit about the case now."  
  
"What are you suggesting, ma'am?" Perez asked.  
  
"If he doesn't object to not taking the leave, maybe he should stick close to us."  
  
"Yeah, but if this is about 'Archangel', then you're putting him in the line of fire," Harm objected.  
  
Mac shot him a mildly irritated look, "If this is 'Archangel', I'll put you all in the line of fire. If that's the case, I should handle this on my own."  
  
"Like hell you will," Harm snapped. "You were damn lucky those idiots didn't kill you the first time."  
  
"You think it was luck?" Mac went from angry to incredulous. Without another word, she turned and walked out of the room.  
  
Harm watched Mac leave in exasperation, what the hell was wrong with her? He started to follow when he heard a throat clear behind him. Damn, he'd forgotten Perez. Turning, he said in a frustrated tone, "What?"  
  
Perez was standing at attention, "Permission to speak freely, sir?"  
  
Harm gave an impatient gesture while glancing at the door, "At ease, dammit, and make it quick, Perez."  
  
"Do you always treat the Colonel like this, sir?"  
  
"Like what, Captain?" Harm said shortly and then looked closer at Perez. He was surprised to see that the captain was angry.  
  
"Like you're continually amazed that she can cross a street without your help." Perez said flatly.  
  
"What the hell are you talking about? I don't do that." Harm glared at the marine. At the same time, he was getting an uncomfortable feeling, did Mac see it that way? A fragment of a long-ago argument on the Watertown came to mind, "And you have no faith in me... " Dammit, they had resolved that issue.  
  
"Exactly how 'lucky' was she the first time, sir?" Perez glared back.  
  
"That's not how I meant it," Harm argued, "Mac's one of the strongest people I know. I'd trust her with my life."  
  
"But not with her own?" the captain persisted.  
  
"I trust her, period." Harm said. "There aren't too many people who could have broken 'Archangel' and come out in one piece."  
  
"Then why are you here, Commander?" Perez asked.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Why are you here, sir?" Perez repeated. "I could understand if you came out after the attack, but you were here before that. The Colonel arrived in the morning and you were here by the afternoon. I'm not a lawyer but even I could see that the internet case was pretty much done. I knew she had talked to Cmdr. Brighton but neither of us knew she was investigating the Jarvis UA. So, why did you come?"  
  
"Our CO sent me," Harm said reluctantly, this sounded worse every time he tried to explain it. "Lt. Singer called to let him know that Admiral Crowley was being... difficult. He wanted to me to act as a sort of buffer while Mac wrapped up the case."  
  
Perez's eyebrows rose in surprise, "Sir, if I were the Colonel, I'd either kick you and your CO's ass or see about finding myself a new home... or both."  
  
"Goddammit, Perez, the Admiral was worried about her. All her friends are. You have no idea what she went through during that case!" Harm threw up his hands in frustration, "Hell, I don't know everything she went through, she won't talk about it. I know she's been having nightmares about it, she told me that much. I'm just trying to keep anything else from happening to her."  
  
"As a friend, that's fine, sir. It's nice to know she's got that kind of support. But as an officer, it's interfering... and insulting. You've all but called her incompetent." Perez eyed the Commander, he wasn't sure how much more he could push this. But it was a helluva way to treat a fellow officer in the Marine Corps.  
  
Harm froze hearing Mac's words being echoed by the captain. Son of a bitch, how the hell would he fix this? He had no intention of leaving Mac if someone was after her. He scrubbed a hand through his hair, "So I'll apologize, but there's no way in hell I'll leave her to face these people alone."  
  
"I wouldn't ask you to, sir," Perez said and then smiled, "But if she decides to kick your six, I may help. Sir."  
  
"Understood, Captain," Harm growled. "Do you mind if I go and check with the Colonel to see if she can fit it into her busy schedule?"  
  
"Not at all, sir." The two men left the room in search of Mac.  
  
Base Hospital Grounds  
Memphis NAS  
0840 Local  
  
Mac sat on the bench and looked out over the grounds, it was a beautiful base. A surreptitious glance showed her that she still had her shadow. She returned her gaze to the horizon. Harmon Rabb was the only man she knew who could make her go from zero to furious in ten seconds or less. This time the anger had fled as quickly as it appeared leaving her feeling depressed. Rationally, she knew he wasn't denigrating everything she had gone through during that damn case. They just never quite saw eye-to-eye on what was considered acceptable risk for each other. Although (and dammit, she was getting steamed again), if Harm applied the same standard to her that he used for himself, she should be able to tapdance in a nest of rattlesnakes without him saying a word.  
  
Sighing, Mac shifted trying to find a more comfortable position. It didn't help that Harm had slipped into 'hero mode'. During a crisis, he could be amazing, but in between, it was annoying as hell. She was an officer in the Marine Corps, not some damn damsel in distress. Unable to sit any longer, she got up and started walking again. The MP who was watching her, followed silently behind. Truth be told, she knew she was probably being overly sensitive. This was Harm being Harm, something she'd had to deal with since day one. It was the Admiral's decision that she couldn't handle a few bumps in the road that had tempered her reaction. Well, she had figured out her options - now she'd have to see if she could get hold of Webb... 


	9. Part 9

Part Nine  
  
Base Hospital Grounds  
Memphis NAS  
0852 Local  
  
Harm and Perez walked along the pathways on the hospital grounds looking for Mac. Tyler's MP had told them where she was headed and that PFC Clifford was staying with her. They spotted her after about five minutes of searching. Harm looked at the young captain, "Why don't you and Clifford head back into the hospital? I need to talk to Mac privately and then we'll meet you at Tyler's room."  
  
Mac had an eerie feeling of deja vu as she looked over her shoulder after hearing her name being called. This time, though, it was Harm and Capt. Perez. It didn't surprise her when Perez stopped by PFC Clifford and Harm walked up to her alone. She stood and waited silently. He rarely apologized outright, it was usually implied somehow in the midst of whatever explanations he was offering. She would excuse his over-protectiveness but his apparent lack of respect for her as a Marine officer couldn't be so easily forgiven.  
  
Harm watched Mac carefully as he walked up to her, trying to gauge her mood before he opened his mouth. He had never intended to question her capabilities as an attorney or an officer. On the other hand, he had no intention of going through the anxiety he had suffered the last time she got mixed up with people trying to kill her. Somewhere there had to be a happy medium. Harm cleared his throat and plunged in, "Mac, about what I said earlier... ." He stopped when she shook her head.  
  
"Harm, I'm not angry about the 'being lucky' comment. To a certain extent, it was true."  
  
Harm let out a relieved breath, thank god she didn't take that the wrong way. Then he paused, "But if you weren't mad, why did you walk out?"  
  
"I wasn't mad about what you said, I was mad about why you said it," Mac replied.  
  
Uh-oh. Harm looked at her and said cautiously, "I just don't want anything to happen to you."  
  
"Exactly." At Harm's perplexed look, she said with a touch of asperity in her voice, "Good god Harm, I've said it so many times I feel like it should be tattooed across my forehead! I am an officer in the Marine Corps. It's not your place, or Admiral Chegwidden's for that matter, to 'protect' me. Would you tell Captain Perez not to pursue an investigation because it might be dangerous?"  
  
"That's not what I meant," Harm countered. "I just don't want you getting into something without some sort of back-up."  
  
"And I'd prefer to have back-up. What I don't need is a babysitter, things are tough enough as it is." Mac replied.  
  
"That's not what I'm doing," Harm protested. "You're my best friend and I ... well... Look, you can't expect me to not worry when things get nasty. You'd worry about me. Hell, you followed me to Russia to keep an eye on me. I just want to return the favor." He took a deep breath, "You have no idea how hard it was, when those bastards were trying to kill you and I couldn't be there for you."  
  
"You think it's not hard to watch and wait when you go zooming off into the wild blue?" Mac looked at him in disbelief. "The difference is that I don't go running to the CAG and ask him to have someone keep an eye on you while you're flying."  
  
"Oh for pete's sake, Mac. We're talking about back-up, not babysitting. Besides, I'm a qualified pilot."  
  
"And I'm a qualified Marine officer," Mac said in exasperation. "Look Harm, it's one thing to be there as back-up, but not if your decisions are based on whether or not you think it's too dangerous for me. I don't need the distraction... or the impression it creates."  
  
"You're worried about appearances?" Harm asked in astonishment. He hadn't expected Mac to be concerned about frivolities.  
  
"I have to be," Mac said with surprising vehemence. She paused and visibly composed herself, "You and I view the military differently. You expect, allowing for the usual mix of politics, a level playing field in your military career. Rapid advancement from being an exemplary officer or, at worst, maybe a friend or two in high places. As a woman, I'm struggling just to stay on the field. I have to work with people who think we have no place in the military and people who are convinced that standards have been dangerously lowered just to get us in. Half the senior military men I deal with think I attained my present rank through sexual favors, or that it was handed to me because it was politically expedient. The thought that I might have earned it never occurs to them."  
  
"Then they're idiots." Harm said a little uncomfortably. He'd been ready to flatten Admiral Crowley for insinuating those very things about Mac.  
  
"I've always thought so," Mac smiled briefly and fell silent, her gaze dropping down at the ground.  
  
Harm watched her worriedly, there was that odd note in her voice again."Mac... Sarah, what's wrong?"  
  
Mac looked up at him, her eyebrows still raised in surprise at the use of her given name. He could see her thinking over her answer, finally she said, "I'm tired, I guess. Sometimes... " She shook her head slightly, "It doesn't matter. Don't we have bad guys to catch? Where are we meeting Perez?" With that, Mac started walking back to the hospital.  
  
Harm stood and watched her walk away. He sighed with frustration, then hurried to catch up. Trying to get information out of Mac when she wasn't ready was harder than prying compliments out of the SecNav. He would file away what she had told him until he had time to sit down and put the pieces together. Harm gave Mac a sideways glance as he drew alongside. He knew there were a number of men in the military who still resented the intrusion of women into the 'club'. He just never thought of Mac having to wrestle with the problem. She was an intelligent, talented attorney and a good officer. She had earned his respect so long ago that he took it for granted everyone else would feel the same way.   
  
Together they walked to Tyler's room, Perez and Clifford were waiting in the hallway. "Colonel, Commander," Perez greeted them, "Tyler will be out in a minute. He said he'd prefer to help us rather than sit around and stare at the walls of his quarters." Perez kept his amusement to himself, Tyler had actually said he wanted to help the Colonel. Apparently, the young man was rather taken with the attractive Marine. It would be interesting to watch Rabb's reaction to the ensign's infatuation.  
  
Tyler came out of the room a few moments later and snapped to attention. "As you were, Tyler," Mac said with a smile. She turned to look at Harm and Perez, "Back to the JAG office?"  
  
Harm nodded, "Yeah, Lt. Singer's probably already there. We can get her caught up and then decide how to proceed."  
  
JAG office  
Memphis NAS  
1013 Local  
  
Lauren sat in the conference room sipping her coffee. 'It's a damn good thing at least one of us knows how to concentrate on the matter at hand,' she thought smugly. She'd just finished nailing Cmdr. Brighton's ass to the wall. It had been much easier without Rabb hovering in the background. His constant carping on being 'even-handed' and 'showing restraint' had made her want to scream. As far as she was concerned, if they were stupid enough to commit the crime and get caught - then they deserved everything she could throw at them. At any rate, this ought to impress Chegwidden. She'd handled the whole case from start to finish while the Colonel had gone haring off on some inconsequential UA. All she needed to make the whole thing perfect would be to sit in on MacKenzie getting an official reprimand for ignoring her assignment. Lauren sighed, the sympathy factor from the grenade attack would probably cancel that out. She took another sip of her coffee and frowned thoughtfully, Colonel MacKenzie had more damn lives than a cat. That or the people who were after her were incredibly incompetent. She smirked to herself, it was true - good help was hard to find.  
  
Singer looked up as the door to the conference room opened. Her eyes widened momentarily when she saw Colonel MacKenzie was with Commander Rabb. She put down the mug, climbed to her feet and came to attention. Keeping a wary eye on the Colonel, Lauren noted the arrival of their driver, Ensign Whatever-His-Name-Was and a Marine captain. They were both carrying files. Hearing 'As you were,' dragged her attention back to the two JAG officers. Rabb was watching her, while the Colonel seemed to be ignoring her. Singer's eyes narrowed, something was up.  
  
Mac gestured for Perez and Tyler to join her and Harm. She looked at the three men. "Captain Perez," she said in a formal tone, "I'd appreciate it if you and Ensign Tyler would set up what we'll need to cross-check Supply. Check back in an hour and let me know how it's going."  
  
"Yes ma'am," Perez said crisply. He and Tyler came to attention, waited for her acknowledgment and left the room.  
  
Mac turned her attention to Harm, "Commander Rabb? Would you please locate Lt. Barker and advise him of the current status of the Jarvis case?"  
  
"My pleasure, Colonel," Harm replied, equally formally. He too, turned and left the room.  
  
Mac glanced at Singer, "Have a seat." She walked around the conference room, looking at paintings and photographs. Lauren sat down slowly, still keeping careful watch of the Colonel. Mac finally dropped into a chair on the opposite side of the table. Absently she massaged the hand inside the sling as she looked silently at Singer. Her face had the same mildly interested look one might have when contemplating a unusual looking bug.  
  
As the silence lengthened, Lauren kept her face expressionless and stoically returned Mac's gaze. She'd be damned if she'd let MacKenzie see her rattled.  
  
"You've been busy, Lieutenant." Singer jumped inadvertently at the sound of the Colonel's voice. Quickly, she schooled her features into an expression of innocent inquiry. It was probably too much to hope for that MacKenzie had missed her display of nerves.  
  
Mac reached over and pulled Lauren's case file to her side of the table. Opening the folder, she casually scanned the contents. "I see you've wrapped up the internet case all by yourself." The amused tone in her voice told Singer she hadn't missed anything. Lauren opened her mouth to speak and saw the warning look on Mac's face. She subsided into silence.  
  
Mac spoke again, from the tone of her voice and relaxed demeanor, she could have been discussing the weather. "On the whole, you've done pretty well on this assignment... but you've also made some mistakes." She paused, watching the silent Lieutenant. "I ran into Cmdr. Brighton on his way back to confinement. Judging from his demeanor, I'd say you threw the book at him. I don't know how he was in here but now he's angry. He let me know he's changing his plea, he wants to go to court." Mac smiled at Singer, "Kind of blows Admiral Chegwidden's plan of keeping this under the radar right out of the water, doesn't it? We'll call that Mistake Number One."  
  
Singer half-rose out of her chair, sputtering in protest, "You can't blame me... "   
  
Mac was out of her chair and leaning across the table in one fluid motion, "SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP, LIEUTENANT!" Singer dropped into her seat with a thump. She'd heard about the Colonel's temper and had dismissed it as a 'my boss is meaner than your boss' story. But there had been a dangerous glitter in MacKenzie's eyes just now, one that made Lauren swallow the rest of her words and drop back in her chair.  
  
Mac settled back down and continued, her tone so matter-of-fact that Singer stared at her. "By going after Cmdr. Brighton so zealously, you've made it appear that you singled him out for excessive punishment. I imagine a judge would look at it the same way. So you've actually given his defense a leg up. I'd hate to think how the SecNav will react to that. Mistake Number Two."  
  
"There's actually another mistake wrapped up in there, but we can come back to it." She smiled at Lauren, "I suppose I should be flattered that you were so worried about my mental state that you had to inform the Admiral. And judging by the sideways looks and nervous twitches I get from this office staff, I assume you've expressed your concerns here as well. You realize, of course, you've given me a convenient alibi should something... untoward... happen to you. I can't be responsible for your well-being if I'm not in my right mind." Mac's smile turned predatory, "Mistake Number Three."  
  
Singer opened and closed her mouth, she desperately wanted to say something. Mac watched her complacently before giving a slight nod. "You're threatening me, Colonel?!" It came out in rush.  
  
Mac's eyebrows rose in surprise, "Threatening you, Lieutenant? Don't be silly, that was merely an observation. I'm going to reward you for such heartfelt concern. You and I are going to work together until we find whoever it is who's trying to kill me." She smiled at the look on Lauren's face, "We'll be inseparable." She stood up, gesturing to Singer to remain seated, "Stay put, Lieutenant. I'll be back in a couple of minutes." As she reached the door, Mac turned back and said, "Oh, that other mistake you made? These people liked Brighton and liked serving under his command. They may think I'm nuts but they hate you. You might want to get your own coffee from now on." She walked out. 


	10. Part 10

Part Ten  
  
JAG office  
Memphis NAS  
1052 Local  
  
Harm was waiting for her, leaning against a desk with his arms folded. He raised a questioning eyebrow. Mac gestured toward Cmdr. Brighton's office and they walked over together. Harm closed the door behind them and looked at Mac. "Do I need to defend you?" he asked lightly.  
  
"Not yet," Mac said with a small smile, she was pretty sure he wouldn't like this next part. She hadn't gone into specifics beforehand, only saying that she would deal with Singer. "I told her that she and I would be working together until we figure out what's going on." Mac tensed a little, waiting for the inevitable explosion.  
  
Harm stared at her, "You're partnering with her for this?" At Mac's nod, he stood silently for a moment and then turned away, his shoulders hunching.  
  
Mac took a tentative step forward, "Harm?" He turned back towards her and she was a little shocked to realize that he was... laughing. Soundlessly, but still... laughing?  
  
Seeing Mac staring at him, Harm attempted to get himself under control. Wiping his eyes and still chuckling, he looked at her, "I would have paid money to have seen Singer's face. Hell, I'd have given a month's pay to have sat in on the whole conversation." Talk about a rock and a hard place, he could almost feel sorry for the Lieutenant. He'd only heard Mac's voice raised once. While she could be impressive when she yelled, she was far more deadly when she was quiet.  
  
Mac started to grin, Harm's amusement was contagious. "For a month's pay, I might have let you." She looked at him, "You're okay with this?"  
  
He waved a hand at her and said a little more seriously, "I'm not letting you out of my sight. We'll just have to make it a threesome." Harm stopped suddenly, aware of what he had just said, and looked quickly over at Mac. Either she was going to kill him or... oh, damn... she was going to laugh hysterically. Mac had actually sat down, her hand over her mouth, trying to contain her merriment. "Hey," he said, trying to look offended, "It's not that funny."   
  
"Oh no?" Mac leaned back, holding her side. "Pick a worse threesome."  
  
Harm pretended to give it serious consideration, "Ummm... You, me and the SecNav?"  
  
"Oh god," Mac laughed, "How about Krennick, Singer and Tiner?"  
  
"Webb, the Admiral and Krennick?" He dropped into another chair. They kept tossing out more and more outrageous trios until both wound down. Harm and Mac grinned at each other. It had been a while since they had laughed over anything silly, he'd missed it. He pondered his next course of action for a moment and then asked cautiously, "Sarah, what's wrong?"  
  
Mac looked at him, her smile fading. How to explain? She knew he was going to keep after her. "Harm, I don't think that's going to be a short conversation. We need to get back to the conference room, Singer's been on her own for seven minutes and forty-eight seconds."  
  
"Mac, please. I want to know what's going on." Harm said. "How about dinner tonight?" When she nodded slowly, he let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. He stood up and offered her a hand, "Shall we check in on our partner?"  
  
JAG office  
Memphis NAS  
1052 Local  
  
Lauren sat motionless in amazement and watched the Colonel exit the room. While she would never openly admit any mistakes; privately, she would concede several small miscalculations. One was underestimating the deviousness of Colonel MacKenzie. There had to be some way of getting out of being a human shield. She shifted uncomfortably; and it was definitely not her fault about Brighton. There was no way in hell he would win his case. Who could predict that he'd suddenly turn into Don Quixote? Surely the Admiral wouldn't hold her accountable. It was all MacKenzie and Rabb's fault anyway, she fumed silently. If Rabb hadn't interfered earlier, Brighton wouldn't have felt singled out. She would have nailed the whole lot.  
  
As for prima donna MacKenzie, it was her fault Rabb was here at all. Lauren was so sick and tired of the Colonel. The blind luck of that woman! To accidently stumble into a case as big as 'Archangel' and then turn it into the 'Perils of Pauline'. And she'd milked it for all it was worth. Now the entire office jumped if they thought she had a hangnail. If MacKenzie hadn't perfected the 'poor, brave little me' routine, the Admiral wouldn't have bothered sending Rabb out here in the first place. The Lieutenant snorted in disgust, Rabb and MacKenzie - their exploits were well on their way to becoming office legend. Singer didn't believe a quarter of what she heard. Rabb, that arrogant ex-pilot, was nothing more than a glib used-car salesman. It was the only way to explain some of the cases he won. That was if you discounted the ineptness on the other side. MacKenzie's reputation as a litigator was no doubt as exaggerated as her reputation as a tough, no-nonsense Marine. Lauren chose to ignore the little voice that gleefully pointed out that the Colonel had scared the hell out of her just a few minutes ago.  
  
Singer stood up and turned around when she heard the conference door begin to open. She schooled her expression to casual indifference as she came to attention. Rabb and MacKenzie walked in, obviously continuing their conversation. "So we'll see where we are when Perez and Tyler get back. It should be soon?" Harm said looking at Mac.  
  
"Sixty-three minutes and counting," Mac replied. She looked over at Singer, "As you were. Have you been familiarizing yourself with this case, Lieutenant?"  
  
"I... uhhh... ," Lauren stuttered, furious with herself for showing inadequacy in front of these two.  
  
Mac raised an eyebrow and said calmly, "Then I would suggest you do so, Lieutenant. Quickly." She turned her attention back to Rabb. Lauren glared at her for a moment before picking up a folder and beginning to read.  
  
Fifteen minutes later, Perez and Tyler came in trailed by a corporal carrying a laptop. They came to attention and then relaxed. Harm and Mac both did their best to conceal their surprise. The corporal was easily the biggest, meanest-looking man they had ever seen. Perez gestured to him, "This is Corporal Tom Bell, my computer wizard." The corporal nodded as he set up his computer on the table.  
  
"We found something, sir, ma'am," the Captain said happily. "Or I should say, Tink did." The corporal smiled a little self-consciously, something that looked even more incongruous than the massive fingers moving delicately over the keyboard. Harm glanced at Mac and rolled his eyes, of course, what else would someone nickname a behemoth named Bell?  
  
Mac gave him a look and then stepped towards Bell. "What have you got, Corporal?"  
  
"Well, ma'am," Bell rumbled, his voice reminded Harm of distant thunder, "Initially, I was just checking weapons and ordnance, but then I widened the net. That's when the discrepancies started to show up. It's ordinary stuff that's disappearing."  
  
"What? Things like toilet paper and staples?" Harm asked in disbelief.  
  
"Actually, sir, just about everything. It's been going on for nearly a year and ,of course, never in large enough quantities to arouse suspicion. There's enough stuff missing to supply a small base."  
  
Perez nodded in satisfaction as Harm and Mac shared an alarmed look. "Getting interesting, isn't it?"  
  
"Uh-huh," Mac said slowly, "Where's it going?"  
  
Bell shrugged and then seemed to remember he was talking to senior officers. He said, a little more formally, "All I can tell you from this is dates and quantities, ma'am."  
  
"Can you tell how it's happening?" Harm asked.  
  
"Not yet, sir," Bell replied, "But with a little more time, I think I can figure it out."  
  
Mac gestured for everyone to take a seat. "Okay, why are these supplies being taken?"  
  
Tyler tentatively raised a hand, "Maybe they're selling it?"  
  
Perez shook his head, "I don't think so. Who'd buy? Wal-Mart's just down the road."  
  
"Maybe Bell is right," Mac said thoughtfully. "What if someone is supplying a small base?"  
  
Harm leaned forward, putting his elbows on the table. "Oh hell, not another wacko militia group. Why aren't they stealing weapons? They plan to throw paperclips?"  
  
"Perhaps they're getting them from another source." Mac flashed a small, sympathetic smile at Harm. She wasn't looking forward to dealing with over-zealous, military wanna-bes either.  
  
"If they can't afford to buy their own toilet paper, how're they buying weapons?" Perez pointed out.  
  
"Maybe they're stealing money, too." Singer entered the conversation for the first time.  
  
Mac gave her an approving look and directed her attention to Bell. "Can you tap into the Finance Dept. and look for any anomalies?"  
  
"It will take a while, ma'am, but I think so," Bell said. "Do you want me to start now?"  
  
Mac shook her head, "Not just yet, Corporal." She looked at the group sitting around the table, "We still need to figure out where everything is going. I think Alan Jarvis will be the key."  
  
Perez said, "Unless it's still on base somewhere, they'd need to arrange transportation." He looked at Bell, "Do you have a printout of when these thefts took place?" He took the paper and stood up, "If it's all right with you, Colonel, I'll go check the motor pool logs and see if anything turns up." At Mac's nod, he turned and left the room.  
  
"So what do we know about Jarvis?" Mac asked.  
  
"He's from Philadelphia and he joined up right out of high school," Tyler said promptly.  
  
"His parents were killed in an auto accident, just before he enlisted," Singer added. "And he's been stationed here about two years."  
  
Harm glanced over at Mac, "He's only been married two years. Where's Mrs. Jarvis from?"  
  
Mac frowned slightly and checked some notes, "She's from this area. Little place called Bethel in northern Mississippi."  
  
"Curious," Harm mused. "Either it was love at first sight or... "   
  
"Or a marriage of convenience?" Mac picked up on his line of thought. "It's been going on for almost a year, I can see how they might have planned for it a year in advance. They'd need to recruit support." She grimaced in frustration, "But the timeline doesn't make sense if they didn't know each other beforehand. What did he do? Say 'Marry me and we'll steal the government blind' on their first date?"  
  
"Or it was an arranged marriage," Harm said. "Jarvis may have been a computer genius... " He arched an eyebrow when Bell gave a derisive snort, it sounded like a small explosion.  
  
"Sorry sir," Bell said contritely. It was like listening to a foghorn apologize, Mac smothered a smile.  
  
Harm looked at him a moment longer and then continued, "... but, I get the feeling there's someone else involved on this base who is higher up the food chain. Maybe he got them together for this."  
  
"So we go through his service record for the last two years with a fine tooth comb and see if anyone pops up." Mac concluded.  
  
They all looked when a knock sounded on the conference room door. It opened and Lt. Barker stuck his head in. "I'm sorry to interrupt but Admiral Crowley wants to see Col. MacKenzie in his office - now."  
  
Harm raised both eyebrows slightly when he heard Mac mutter something distinctly unladylike under her breath. She looked at Barker, "Thank you Lieutenant." Standing up, she gestured to Tyler, "Let's go, Ensign," and headed for the door.  
  
Harm stared at Singer, who looked back perplexed. He gestured to Mac, "Get going, Lieutenant." As much as he would have preferred going with Mac himself, someone had to stay and keep the ball rolling on their investigation.  
  
Singer started to protest, "But the Admiral doesn't expect me... "  
  
Harm cut her off, "The Colonel doesn't go anywhere unaccompanied until we figure this out." He glanced at Mac who was standing at the door. Her face was impassive but he could see a small glint of amusement in her dark eyes.  
  
Reluctantly, Singer grabbed her cover and followed Mac out of the room. 


	11. Part 11

Part Eleven  
  
Post Headquarters  
Memphis NAS  
1208 Local  
  
Ensign Tyler pulled into the parking space in front of the HQ. 'Deja vu all over again', he thought to himself as he hurried around to open doors for the two officers.   
  
Mac smiled at him as she got out and said, "Thank you, Ensign. Hopefully, this won't take long - I somehow doubt that we'll be invited to lunch this time." She looked over at Singer, who was trying to remain inconspicuous while she edged as far away as possible. "Let's go, Lieutenant."  
  
Mac strode up the walkway with Singer still trailing behind. They were almost to the front doors when she became exasperated with the Lieutenant's lagging pace. Irritated, she abruptly spun towards Singer, "Lieutenant!... " Almost simultaneously there was the crack of a rifle, Mac staggered forward, her hand going to the back of her head. The slug smashed through the glass entry doors eliciting screams from inside the building. For just an instant, the tableau remained frozen. Then came a sudden barrage of shots as the sniper opted to fire as rapidly as possible.  
  
Lauren stood frozen on the walkway. The first shot had caused her to crouch and spin towards the threat. Now with bullets splattering all around her, she literally didn't know which way to go. She gave a startled 'oof!' when the Colonel's weight crashed into her from the side, taking them both into the shrubbery beside the doors. She lay there wheezing, the wind completely knocked out of her, when she became aware of the silence. The shooting had stopped.   
  
Mac pushed herself into a sitting position, being one-handed was awkward as hell. She gingerly felt the back of her head and winced. The growing volume of voices and pounding feet told her that people were beginning to move. Mac looked over at Singer who was still lying there, wide-eyed. "Lieutenant, are you okay?" she asked sympathetically.  
  
Singer was too rattled to be anything but honest, "I... I don't know." She stared at Mac. "No one's ever shot at me before. It's... I... " her voice trailed off.  
  
"It's not something you want to get used to," Mac remarked wryly. She looked up as Ensign Tyler slid to halt in front of them with what looked like half the Headquarters. He looked as disconcerted as Singer.  
  
"Colonel! Lieutenant! Are you hurt?" he said anxiously. He looked over as a Lt. Commander forced his way through the crowd, angrily ordering them out of the way and back to their offices.  
  
The commander spared Tyler a quick glance before returning his attention to Mac, "Colonel? I'm Cmdr. Fitzhugh. Are you two all right?"  
  
"A little shaken, Commander," Mac replied, and then added in a dry tone, "We'd probably both feel better if we could get out of the bushes."  
  
"Of course, Ma'am! I'm sorry," the Commander said, a little abashed. He raised an eyebrow as Tyler made a beeline for the Colonel and then he helped Singer to her feet.  
  
Mac stumbled a little as she regained her feet, keeping a firm grip on Tyler's arm. He looked at her worriedly, "Are you sure you're okay, ma'am?"  
  
"I'll be fine, Pick," she said softly. Her attention was on the front doors and the unwelcome sound of Admiral Crowley's voice.  
  
JAG office  
Memphis NAS  
1212 Local  
  
Harm looked up from Bell's computer screen when the conference door banged open. Capt. Perez stuck his head in and said tersely, "Shooting at HQ."  
  
The Commander surged to his feet with a muttered oath. Grabbing his cover, he turned to Bell, "Corporal, I need you to secure this room. No one outside our group gets in until I or Col. MacKenzie say it's okay." He left at a near run.  
  
Harm caught up with Perez in the parking lot. The Captain was standing by a car, talking on his cellphone. He looked over as Harm came hurrying up, "No casualties, sir."  
  
"Thank God," Harm breathed. "What the hell happened? Was someone after Mac?"   
  
He and Perez climbed into the car as they spoke. Perez glanced at the driver and nodded, "Don't waste time, Bernie." They sped off in the direction of the post headquarters. The Captain looked over at Harm, "A sniper opened fire as the Colonel and the Lieutenant were about to enter the building. Apparently, the only thing he managed to hit was the building and the sidewalk."  
  
Post Headquarters  
Memphis NAS  
1215 Local  
  
"What the hell is going on?!" Mac could hear Crowley approaching rapidly. She gave Tyler a reassuring smile and stepped to the front. She didn't think he'd bother going after Singer or Tyler, but there was always guilt by association. As she came to attention, she could hear Tyler's quick intake of breath. Mac gestured for silence as she focused on the irate Admiral bearing down on the group.  
  
He stomped to a halt, angrily returning their salutes. He glared at the four of them before turning his attention to Mac. "You!" Beside her, surprise flitted across Cmdr. Fitzhugh's face at the Admiral's tone.  
  
"Yes sir," Mac said calmly. She was starting to feel shaky, but she'd be damned if she let this ass see it.  
  
"I might have known! You're a damn walking disaster, Colonel! I've warned you about disrupting this base... "  
  
"Sir!" Cmdr. Fitzhugh jumped in, he couldn't remain quiet. "The Colonel and the Lieutenant are the victims here! Surely, you can't blame... "  
  
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" The Admiral roared, "I don't know who you think you are, Commander, but this is none of your damn business!"  
  
"I'm Lt. Cmdr. Fitzhugh with the IG office, Admiral. So, yes, I can make this my business. You can't possibly hold these officers responsible for someone shooting at them." The Commander met Crowley's rage with a steely calm. Mac kept the surprise at finding an ally from showing on her face. She really wished the Admiral would just go away, she needed to sit down.  
  
The Admiral blinked, some of his ire draining away as he considered the ramifications. The IG was quite capable of making his life hell. Finally he settled for glaring at Mac, "Fine, just keep away from me and my headquarters!" He turned to go back into the building, pausing as he watched a car pull up and Rabb and Perez get out.  
  
Mac tried not to sigh, she was pretty sure she would hate herself for this, "Excuse me, Admiral?"  
  
"What?" came the Admiral's clipped response.  
  
"You wished to see me, sir?" 'Strange,' Mac thought vaguely. She hadn't noticed the echo before.  
  
"Not on my best day," he said sarcastically, turning back to stare at her.  
  
Mac looked at him in some confusion, "I was told you wanted to see me immediately, sir." Her voice trailed off. She was certain that this was somehow important, but she couldn't quite connect the dots. Besides, the Admiral was beginning to do some very odd things. Mac watched as his face elongated and blended into the building. The building itself began to waver like it had been caught in a strong breeze. It was becoming very important that she sit down.  
  
Harm reached the group a little ahead of Perez. He came to attention and whipped off a perfunctory salute, most of his attention was on Mac. Her face was pale and she didn't acknowledge his presence. She was staring with a certain fascination at the Admiral. He glanced at the Lt. Commander standing next to her and Ensign Tyler who was standing behind. They were both watching Mac with concern, Tyler seemed a little more frantic about it.  
  
All three jumped when Mac's legs buckled. Fitzhugh grabbed one arm, while Tyler leaped to the other side. Harm wound up in front, a hand on either side of her face. Now she was staring at him, "Need to sit."  
  
"Okay Sarah," Harm said soothingly. He nodded at the two men and they lowered her to the pavement. He heard Perez on his cellphone calling for an ambulance.  
  
"Sir!" Tyler said anxiously, "She's bleeding! The back of her head..."  
  
His stomach clenched. Harm looked back at Mac who was still regarding him intently. "Sarah, we're going to lean you forward, okay? You let me hold you up."  
  
"Cold."  
  
"Okay, we'll take care of that." He positioned himself to take her weight and nodded. Tyler and Fitzhugh eased her forward. Harm grimaced at the blood still trickling down the back of her neck. There was a growing stain on the back of her uniform collar. He heard pounding feet and then Perez dropped down beside him. He was carrying a large first aid case. Harm looked at the Captain, "Where's the ambulance? I think she's going into shock."  
  
"Any minute, sir." Perez replied, digging into the case. He handed a compress to Harm, who pressed it to the back of her head. Perez nodded to Tyler and together they eased Mac over on to her back, her head and shoulders still in Harm's lap. Then Perez pulled out another square package and ripped open the wrapper. Shaking out the emergency blanket, he tucked it around her. By now, they could all hear the sirens rapidly approaching.  
  
Singer stood towards the back of the group clustered around the Colonel. She'd been largely ignored since the Admiral's appearance and for once, it didn't rankle. If she had had to deal with that crazy old bastard on top of being shot at, she would have definitely lost it.  
  
She still hadn't processed everything she was feeling at the moment. She had come incredibly close to dying. It was no longer some abstract what if. On one hand, she couldn't remember ever being more terrified. It surprised her that she hadn't actually wet her pants. On the other hand, she was angry. Angry for having been ordered into a situation where she just knew something like this could happen. Angry with the Colonel for whatever it was she had done to make these people want to kill her and angry with these lunatics who had the nerve to actually try to do it. Mixed into that was gratitude, MacKenzie had probably saved her life knocking her into the bushes like that. She was slightly mortified for having just stood there like a deer in the headlights. She was feeling frustrated too; the last thing she ever wanted was to be beholden to the Colonel. And finally, she was mystified. Why the hell did MacKenzie do that? They didn't like each other at all. So why in the world would the Colonel risk getting shot (again, apparently) just to get her out of the line of fire?  
  
Lauren watched the EMTs scurry around and then head back to the ambulance with the Colonel. She saw the Admiral finally disappear back into the building. He, too, had wound up out on the fringes. Not something he was used to, she thought disdainfully. That IG officer had certainly taken the wind out of his sails. She blinked suddenly when Commander Rabb appeared in her line of vision. When had he approached?  
  
"Lauren," he said quietly, "I think you should come with us to the hospital."  
  
She looked at him curiously, "I'm fine, sir. I wasn't hit."  
  
"That's good, but I still think you need to come with us." Harm gestured towards the ambulance, "C'mon, they're waiting."  
  
Lauren opened her mouth to protest once more and then stopped. Shrugging her shoulders, she allowed the Commander to escort her to the ambulance. 


	12. Part 12

Part Twelve  
  
Base Hospital  
Memphis NAS  
1240 Local  
  
Harm watched as Mac disappeared into the ER and then turned back to Singer. "Let's find some place to sit, Lieutenant." They found some seats in the waiting area and settled down. Harm looked over at her, "How are you feeling, Lauren?"  
  
"I'm fine, sir," she answered, why did he keep asking that? She could feel the exasperation growing at the skeptical look on his face. "Really, sir, I'm okay. I mean, I didn't actually get shot. I guess that's surprising, considering that I stood there like some mindless idiot. It's just that... I mean... Oh hell, no one's ever shot at me before ... I can't believe... Good god, they must be out of their minds... WHY did the Colonel do that? Why push me out of the way? We don't even like each other." Lauren stopped suddenly, appalled at herself for babbling in front of Cmdr. Rabb. What was she thinking?  
  
Harm smiled slightly at the dismayed look on Singer's face. "Lieutenant, I think you're still dealing with the adrenaline rush. It affects everyone differently. One of the reasons I want you here, is to make sure you're still all right when adrenaline goes away." He paused for a moment, "As for what you said... " Lauren tensed. Harm leaned back a little, "Look, being a JAG doesn't exactly prepare you for something like this. So you didn't move, big deal. You also didn't start screaming hysterically or dissolve into tears." He grinned at her snort of disgust, "As for Colonel MacKenzie... Lauren, not only are you partners - you're under her command. Like or dislike doesn't enter into it."  
  
He sighed at the quizzical look on Singer's face, "This probably isn't the best time to lecture on the qualities of leadership. Lauren, being a good officer isn't only about people obeying your orders. You're responsible for them. You take care of them, they'll take care of you."  
  
Lauren scowled, "I didn't think being an officer was about bonding with enlisted, sir."  
  
"It's not. This is about respect. You can't just demand it, you have to earn it and you have to give it." Harm gazed at the Lieutenant, she could probably make a decent officer. She was certainly bright enough. But everything she did was weighed and colored by her relentless drive to achieve her goal. The people under her were tools to that end, nothing more. Her peers and the people above her were obstacles. The problem was most of them knew it... and resented it.  
  
He decided to try again, "Lieutenant, you can be as mean and hard-nosed as you want. But however hard you work them, you work yourself harder. You can scream and yell as much as you want, but you don't let someone else do it to them. If another officer has a problem with your people, you take the heat. Then, if you think it's warranted, you pin their ears back. They'll bitch and moan but as long as you're consistent and fair, they'll also respect you."   
  
Singer looked at him dubiously. Harm rolled his eyes, "Lauren, how does the office staff feel about Colonel MacKenzie?"  
  
"They like her, I guess," Lauren said slowly.  
  
"Know anyone who would deliberately cross her?"  
  
"Well... " She was about to say herself, but that probably wasn't the smartest thing to say. And he probably meant overt anyway, "No, I don't think so, sir."  
  
Harm eyed her, he could guess what was going on in her head during that pause. "Why?"  
  
"Because she'd kill them."  
  
"Are they afraid of her?"  
  
Lauren smiled dryly, remembering her earlier conversation with the Colonel. "Only if they cross her."  
  
Harm smiled back. They both looked up at the sound of footsteps approaching. Perez and Tyler were walking towards them. Harm looked back at Singer, "One more question, Lieutenant. Who must be out of their minds?"  
  
Lauren actually managed a weak chuckle, "The women who want to be allowed into combat, sir. Who, in their right mind, would WANT to be shot at?"  
  
Harm and Singer stood up when the two men arrived. Perez spoke first, "Any word on the Colonel, sir?"  
  
"Not yet." Harm said. "Any leads on the sniper?"  
  
Perez grimaced, "Not a helluva lot. It was a set-up, of course. Admiral Crowley never requested that the Colonel see him. I'm going to talk to Lt. Barker to find out exactly what was said."   
  
Harm frowned slightly and then focused his attention down the hall. Perez turned and saw a doctor walking towards them.  
  
"Gentlemen, you're here for Colonel MacKenzie?" At the confirming nods, he continued, "I'm Dr. Brunson. The Colonel's a lucky woman. She's had the equivalent of a hard rap on the head, and then the shock, of course. Any lower could have severed her spinal cord and any further in would have just killed her. She's on an IV right now, we'll take it off in about an hour and then let her rest. She'll be free to go in a couple of hours. Try not to let her do anything strenuous for the next day or so." He turned around and started to head back to the ER.  
  
"Doctor?" Harm called. Brunson turned back. "Can someone stay with her?"  
  
"Yes, that's fine. Just check with the station desk, they'll tell you where to find her."  
  
They all looked at each other. It was fairly obvious that Harm was staying. He looked over at Singer, "Lieutenant, it's been pretty stressful today. Why don't you take the rest of the afternoon off?"   
  
"If you don't mind sir, I'd rather be working. I want to find these... people," she replied.  
  
Perez spoke up, "The Lieutenant can come back with me. I need to talk to Barker."  
  
Tyler looked at Harm, "Can I stay, sir?"  
  
Harm nodded. Five minutes later, they were standing in a curtained off area, watching a sleeping Sarah MacKenzie. Aside from the IV, she seemed peaceful enough. Harm grabbed a chair and gestured for Tyler to do the same. He settled down and glanced up when the ensign came and stood next to him. He was holding a plastic bag containing Mac's uniform.  
  
"Sir, how about if I take this and see about getting it cleaned?" Tyler asked in a near whisper.  
  
"I think the Colonel would appreciate that," Harm smiled. As the ensign started to leave, he added, "Tyler? Keep your eyes open, okay?" Harm watched the young man leave. These people were keying on Mac which made it seem more and more likely that it had something to do with 'Archangel'. Or... it was a feint to get them looking in the wrong direction. He sighed, they'd keep both possibilities in mind.  
  
Base Hospital  
Memphis NAS  
1445 Local  
  
Mac slowly opened her eyes and took in her surroundings. 'Oh hell... '  
  
"Hey Mac, how're you feeling?" That was Harm's voice, she turned her head to find him sitting next to the bed.   
  
She thought about it for a moment, "Fine, I guess. Except for my head still hurting and being back here again. What happened?"  
  
Harm looked at her in surprise, "You don't... what do you remember?"  
  
"Getting out of the car at HQ. How'd I wind up back here?"  
  
"A sniper opened fire just as you and Lieutenant Singer reached the building. No one realized at first that you'd been hit. You don't remember any of this?"   
  
"No. Is Singer all right?"  
  
"Yeah, a little shook up. I told her to take the afternoon off but she wanted to get back to work. She and Perez are back at JAG. Do you remember talking to Admiral Crowley?"  
  
"Uh-uh."  
  
"Really? You suggested that he try to do something to himself that was anatomically impossible." Harm looked at her innocently.  
  
Mac's mouth dropped open, "I did what?!"  
  
Harm scrunched up his face thoughtfully, "I think that was just after you speculated on his family's genealogy."  
  
Mac stuttered a moment more and then her eyes narrowed suspiciously, "You'd better find a Tomcat to strap on, Flyboy. Because when I get out of this bed... "   
  
A doctor poked his head around the curtains, interrupting her. "Ahhh, Colonel, you're awake." He walked in the rest of the way and picked up her chart.  
  
"Doc, she doesn't remember what happened," Harm said.  
  
"Oh? Well, I wouldn't worry too much, Colonel. It's not entirely unexpected. You'll probably find yourself remembering bits and pieces as the days go by." He finished looking over her chart and smiled, "I think you've set a record for return trips."  
  
"The Colonel's developed a taste for lime jello, Doctor. I believe she'll do anything to get back here for more." Harm interjected with a grin.  
  
"Keep it up, Commander. You know what they say about payback." Mac said in a mock growl.  
  
Harm raised his eyebrows in an innocent expression, "I don't believe I remember... "  
  
"Oohh, that's it." Mac started to throw the covers off.  
  
"Colonel, Commander! If I might interrupt a moment," the doctor said, laughing. He looked at Mac, "Colonel, you're free to leave. I'd like you to go at least twenty-four hours before turning up here again." He looked over at Harm, "Commander?... Run." With that, he turned and left, still chuckling.  
  
Mac arched an eyebrow at Harm, "You heard the man."  
  
He raised both hands, still grinning, "Truce?"  
  
"Truce." Mac looked around the cubicle, "Where are my clothes?"  
  
Harm glanced at his watch, "They should be back any minute now. Tyler took them to be cleaned." Harm adopted a stern expression, "You've been awfully rough on your wardrobe lately."  
  
"Yeah, too bad I've been wearing it at the time," Mac agreed dryly. "A sniper, huh?" Harm nodded. Her hand drifted up to the back of her head, "And hit me here?"   
  
Harm nodded again, he could see it was sinking in just how close they had come. He cleared his throat, "I understand the head is the safest place to hit a Marine."   
  
Mac stared at him in surprise before assuming a look of outrage, "You're cruisin', Rabb."  
  
"No, really," Harm said, trying to maintain a serious demeanor, "I took a class at the Academy." He started ticking off points on his fingers, "First off, you have to hit them hard enough. Something, say, like a Sidewinder. Anything less and they think you just want to be friends. Then there seems to be some lag time while it filters through that they've actually been hit, so it's easy to make a leisurely escape... " He was interrupted when a pillow bounced off his head.   
  
"Squid, you are in such trouble," Mac said, trying not to smile. "I swear, clothes or no clothes... "  
  
"I vote no clothes," Harm said quickly, vacating his chair at the same time.  
  
"What makes you think you get a vote?" Mac purred, a dangerous glint in her eye.  
  
"This IS a democracy." Harm countered, when had they turned the air conditioning off?  
  
"Not in this little cubicle of the world, Mr. Rabb." She gave him a slow smile, "However, bribery is considered acceptable... "  
  
"I see," Harm grinned while raising an eyebrow. He started to move back towards the bed when they both heard a throat being loudly cleared. A moment later, Tyler's voice came from beyond the curtains, "Sir, Ma'am?" Harm rolled his eyes and then glared in exasperation at Mac. She was sitting there trying hard not to laugh. She waved a hand at him and said quietly with a smile, "The look on your face, Navy." Raising her voice, she called, "Come on in, Ensign." 


	13. Part 13

Part Thirteen  
  
VOQ  
Mac's room  
1810 Local  
  
Mac sat on the bed and contemplated the notes she had scribbled onto the legal pad. Harm had turned incredibly stubborn about her going back to the JAG office after being released. Surprisingly, Tyler had sided with him. The only place he would take her was the VOQ. There she had another surprise in the form of a guard at her door, courtesy of Captain Perez.  
  
Mac put the pad down and rearranged her pillows so she could lean against the wall. Much as she hated to admit it, Harm had been right. One of the first things she did after changing out of her uniform was to take a nap. It only lasted seventy-one minutes but for someone who slept very little, she was beginning to feel like all she did was sleep... and occupy hospital beds. Mac carefully felt the stitches in the back of her head. Whoever had shaved the area had been considerate enough to make sure the rest of her hair hid the wound. She couldn't decide if the near misses were because of dumb luck or if the people pursuing her were just inept.  
  
A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. Padding over, she opened it a crack. Harm was standing there holding a couple of pizza boxes. She opened the door all the way, "In. Now."  
  
Harm walked in, grinning, "I think I'd be flattered if I weren't holding food."  
  
Mac smiled sweetly at him, while grabbing the pizzas, "It's so nice to see you, Harm... Now get out of my way." She placed the boxes on the dresser and opened them up, inspecting their contents. Harm watched as Mac selected a thick slice of the meatlover's pizza and settled cross-legged on the bed. She was dressed in an old USMC t-shirt and running shorts. She had dispensed with the sling, although the brace was still in place. He could see some of the cuts on her legs from the first attack. They seemed to be healing.  
  
Mac noticed his scrutiny, "Are you planning to eat or is there something in the pizza I should know about?"  
  
"You mean besides the huge amounts of cholesterol?" Harm smiled, helping himself to the veggie pizza. He grabbed the desk chair and slid it next to the bed. "How're you feeling?"  
  
"Well, I was hungry... and bored. But you've managed to solve both problems with one visit. How did it go this afternoon? Any leads on the Acme Assassination Gang?"  
  
"Not much, except that you seem to be the target of choice and that they're very enthusiastic," Harm said with a slight smile for the description. "I don't think we should take them too lightly, they've come pretty close."  
  
"I know, I know. It's just that I keep waiting for Wiley Coyote to land at my feet, closely followed by an anvil." Mac headed for a second slice of pizza. "Any more on Jarvis?"  
  
Harm nodded, "Bell figured out how they were acquiring the supplies without anyone noticing. There's some sort of rider attached to the inventory script. Enter a quantity on a particular item and it changes the number downward by a certain percentage. They stayed away from items that would be flagged for random checks, like weapons and munitions. No one worries about copier paper. Then they cart off the 'surplus'. The beauty of this is that everyone along the chain thinks the figures they have are correct. He's checking into Finance next."  
  
"And obviously, there's people in the warehouse who are part of this," Mac commented. "Any central figure to connect them all?"  
  
"Not yet. Although I'm beginning to think it's someone relatively high up."   
  
"Really? It doesn't seem like that big an operation. Granted, over time they've managed to acquire quite a bit, but like you said, copier paper? Why waste a computer program on such penny-ante stuff?" Mac asked, looking perplexed.  
  
Harm thought it over, "Well, this is all that we know about. What if this was the prototype program? They went ahead and tested it with inconsequential things. Stuff they'd have a use for, but probably wouldn't get them into too much trouble if it were found out."  
  
"So there could be a more sophisticated program out there, funneling weaponry, money and whatever off the base," Mac's eyes widened a little as she considered the possibilities. "Harm, if this is true, what's to stop them from moving to other bases and doing the same thing?"  
  
"Not much," Harm said a little grimly, "The next question is, what are they doing with it?" He narrowed his gaze at Mac, she'd gotten paler? "Mac?"  
  
She stared at him, "This is 'Archangel'." Her voice was practically a whisper.  
  
"We don't know that for sure," Harm said soothingly. It was ironic that he would wind up taking this position. He'd been worried about that damn network (or whatever portion was left) since the first attempt on Mac. "And even if it is, it's probably some small fragment that's too stupid to know when to get out. There's no way they can carry out their main objective; not now, not with everyone on the lookout for suspicious activity."  
  
Mac looked at him for a moment, then laughed a little self-consciously, "Well, I feel kind of stupid. I jumped from fact to theory to paranoia in one fell swoop. Next time I'll wait for proof before I panic."  
  
"Mac... " Harm looked at her intently, he wanted her to understand he was serious. "Stupid and panic are two words I would never associate with you."  
  
She felt herself flushing, as much from his intense gaze as from his words. Not for the first time, she wished he came with a secret decoder ring.  
  
Harm lapsed into silence, thinking. He had wanted talk to Mac about whatever it was that was bothering her. He was beginning to get a clearer picture - he wasn't totally clueless. The problem was that he didn't like the picture. So, if he brought it up, there'd probably be an argument. And despite the flippancy that Mac had been treating this latest attempt with, he saw it for the defense that it was. She didn't need him adding to the load, however good his intentions.  
  
Mac glanced at Harm, he appeared lost in thought. The silence didn't bother her, their relationship was at a point where these pauses didn't automatically become awkward. She hoped he wasn't trying to decide on the best approach to start their talk. She wasn't sure she quite ready for the fight it would inevitably cause. The one thing she had managed to do this afternoon was get in touch with Webb. That had surprised her almost as much as Webb had been surprised at what she had to say. Typically, he'd been cautiously receptive. He asked her to take a week to think it over and if she still was set, he'd start things rolling. That had led to a discussion of this latest assignment. His opinion of Crowley coincided with hers - the man was proof positive that it wasn't just the cream that rose to the top.  
  
Clay had also been disturbed to hear of the attempts on her life. He wasn't ready to discount possible 'Archangel' involvement and told her he'd have someone look into it. When Mac had apologized for adding to the burden he was already carrying in his pursuit of the terrorists, Clay had actually laughed and said she could owe him a favor if it made her feel better. He'd told her he'd be in touch and then hung up.  
  
Mac looked up from her musing to see Harm watching her. "What?" she said with a smile.  
  
"I... uhh... nothing," Harm said, casting around desperately for something intelligent to say. He'd just been sitting there admiring the view. 'C'mon, Rabb, think!'   
  
Mac's smile was growing wider. She unfolded and gracefully rose from the bed. Then she sauntered over and picked up another slice of pizza. Turning around, she leaned against the dresser and looked back at Harm, "Nothing?"  
  
"Definitely not 'Nothing'," he answered in a low tone that sent a shiver all the way through her. Her smile faded just a little, with those three words he had pretty much turned the tables on her. Unconsciously, she straightened just a little and matched him look for look, "So tell me." Inside, one of the words Harm didn't associate with her was having a field day. Why had she started this? Whenever she pushed, Harm would teeter on the brink and then turn into Mr. Cryptic. The man had more defenses than the Chicago Bears.  
  
'So tell me.' Those words echoed in Harm's head. God, where to start... He had surprised her and himself at the direction that he'd taken the conversation. What to tell her? 'Hey Mac, I'm tired of waiting. Let's do it right here, right now?' ... no wait, how about: 'So Mac, I know you're more rattled about these attempts than you're letting on. What say we complicate things by taking our relationship to the next level?' Harm groaned inwardly, 'Dammit, I am such an ass!'   
  
"What?"  
  
Harm froze, 'Oh god, did I say that out loud?' "Uhhh, Mac... ," he stammered.  
  
"Never mind, Harm," Mac said. She gave him a tired smile, "Look, why don't we call it a day? Everything's starting to run together; we can start fresh in the morning. Thanks for bringing the pizza."   
  
However she excused it, Mac was pretty much throwing him out the door. Reluctantly, Harm stood up and grabbed his cover, "Mac... "  
  
She held up a hand, "It's fine, Harm. I'll see you in the morning." She ushered him out the door and then leaned against it. 'Way to go, MacKenzie. You've just proved that your learning curve rivals the Grand Canyon.' Going back to the bed, she settled down and picked up the legal pad. Maybe she could lose herself in this case for the next couple of hours.  
  
Harm entered his quarters and tossed his cover onto the dresser. 'Goddammit, I must be seven kinds of an idiot!' What the hell had he been thinking? She was going to start thinking he was some kind of a pervert; that he was only attracted to her when she was in danger. He was attracted to her, period. Apparently though, his way of dealing with the stress of these attacks was to lose control of the restraint he kept on his feelings... and his mouth. He threw himself down on the bed and turned to stare at the ceiling. Damn, Damn, DAMN!  
  
JAG Headquarters  
Washington, D.C.  
1930 Local  
  
Admiral Chegwidden looked with annoyance at the blinking light on his phone. They had secured the office about an hour ago, he'd sent Tiner home. With three of his staff gone, things were beginning to pile up. Who knew Rabb and MacKenzie would stumble into another case while taking care of the first one. He snorted in exasperation, HE should have known. Put those two together and they attracted trouble like moths to a flame. He rubbed his face in frustration, Rabb had been keeping him apprised of the situation. He'd blundered in sending Harm out in the first place. If he'd been Mac, he would have been pissed, too. AJ glanced back at the phone... still blinking. Sighing, he picked it up, "Chegwidden."  
  
"Doesn't anyone answer the phones over there, Admiral?"  
  
AJ's eyebrows rose in surprise, "Webb? Where are you? Have you found the terrorists?"  
  
"Yes. Pakistan. Getting close. That's not why I'm calling."  
  
"Well, if you're looking for Rabb and MacKenzie, they're already on an out-of-town assignment." AJ couldn't help being leery of anything that involved his people with Webb.  
  
"I know, AJ, that's why I'm calling. I've been talking to Mac." Webb braced himself, this next part wasn't going to be fun.  
  
"You talked to Mac without talking to me first?"  
  
Webb could hear the growing aggravation in Chegwidden's voice, "AJ, she contacted me." There was dead silence on the other end, he hurried on, "Look, I'm not quite sure what this is about, but Mac is under the impression that you think she's about to turn into some sort of basketcase and that you no longer trust her to handle even simple cases. I don't know what else is going on, but she's planning to talk to you and then resign from the Corps. She wanted to know if I could find a place for her at the Agency."  
  
AJ was shocked, he hadn't thought Mac would put that interpretation on Rabb's arrival. "What did you tell her?"   
  
"I told her, 'Hell No! Why would I want someone who was smart, tough, multi-lingual and quick on their feet?' ... C'mon AJ, what do you think I said?" Clay had always thought she would make a hell of an operative, but he also knew she was first and foremost a Marine.  
  
"Son of a bitch." Chegwidden thumped a fist on his desk, making everything bounce. That he was the catalyst for this was especially galling. He had reacted to Singer's call on a personal level, sending Rabb out there. He knew how they supported each other. What he had failed to consider was the professional side; something Mac, obviously, had jumped on immediately.  
  
"AJ?" Webb was grateful he was doing this over the phone. Even though he was blameless, being anywhere in the fire zone of an angry SEAL wasn't a bright move.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I told her to take a week to think it over. You've got some time on this, assuming they can stop whoever it is that's taking potshots at her." Webb grimaced to himself, he'd contacted some people to look into it but Mac was his friend, he wished he could do it himself.   
  
"You think this is 'Archangel'?"  
  
"I don't know, I've asked some people to look into it for me. Offhand, I can't think of anyone else who would be so zealous in going after her. It could be a simple case of revenge." Webb looked up when one of his people came into the room, "AJ, I've got to go. I'll get back to you."  
  
AJ continued to stare at the phone after he hung up, "Son of a bitch!" 


	14. Part 14

Part Fourteen  
  
JAG office  
Memphis NAS  
0805 Local  
  
Mac and the others looked up when Harm entered the conference room, trailed by Tyler. He looked like he'd had as rough a night as she had. She'd only managed to sleep in bits and snatches, finally giving up around 4 a.m. Ordinarily, she would have gone for a run, something that was out of the question for the time being. Instead, she dived back into the case, chasing ideas and theories around on paper. Around 6:00, she had cajoled the MP at her door into accompanying her to the JAG office. He'd stationed himself at the conference door until Perez and Bell had shown up at seven.  
  
Proving the cliche about books and their covers, Bell turned out to be the morning person and Perez was the one not fit to talk to until he'd had his second cup of coffee. Singer arrived at 0705, looking surprised and chagrined that she hadn't been first to the office.  
  
Mac gave Harm a smile and gestured with her thumb towards the coffeemaker. Perez had made the coffee - it was capable of waking the dead. She kept her expression bland at the look on Harm's face after the first sip. His eyes narrowed and he dropped into the chair next to her, "You could have warned me."  
  
Mac regarded him innocently, "About what?"  
  
"That someone managed to liquify solid rocket fuel." Harm took another careful sip and grimaced. "You know, this might have turned out better if water had actually been added to the coffeemaker."  
  
"Wuss," Mac grinned. She turned her attention to the rest of the room. "Where are we right now with Jarvis?"  
  
Perez put up a hand, "No luck with the motorpool logs, ma'am. Either all this stuff is still on base somewhere or they've found another way to transport it. I also checked the gate logs around the time of each 'acquisition', no unusual activity during the days or nights. I've assigned a couple of teams to start checking through the warehouses."  
  
Mac nodded and looked at the others, "Anything else?"  
  
Singer spoke up, "We've gone over Jarvis' service record," she indicated Ensign Tyler, "No one name is jumping out at us. Everything appears normal."  
  
Mac drummed her fingers on the table, "Then I guess we keep looking. We know something's going on and I can't believe they're that good at covering their tracks." She acknowledged the nods around the table and watched for a moment as everyone dove back into the paperwork. Mac glanced at Harm and handed him a sheaf of papers from the ones in front of her. "Here, Tink's been running out copies of all sorts of requisitions and invoices. See if anything catches your eye."  
  
The next several hours were spent reading and cross-checking a myriad of records. Harm leaned back and rubbed his eyes. Mac looked over and gave him a sympathetic smile before returning to her own stack of papers. He watched her for a second or two, she acted like everything was fine between them. At least she wasn't mad at him. He had half expected her to be; hell, he would've been if he'd been on the receiving end of his idiot behavior. Rubbing his neck, he leaned forward again and went back to reading.  
  
A short time later, Mac looked over when she heard Harm grunt thoughtfully, "Found something?"  
  
"Maybe," he replied, sorting rapidly through the papers. He pulled out another sheet and compared it to the one in front. By now, the others were watching him as well. Harm looked over at Perez, "Do you still have the motorpool logs?" The captain slid a folder across. He quickly scanned the pages, comparing it to the two papers in front of him and then smiled.  
  
"Well?" Mac asked, voicing what everyone else was thinking.  
  
"Fuel consumption. It goes up every two or three weeks but there's no increase in the odometer readings."  
  
"They're falsifying the odometer records, sir?" Singer asked.  
  
"They'd have to turn back the odometers each time, otherwise someone would notice the discrepancy. If they did it that often, someone should have caught it." Perez said.  
  
"What if they've acquired their own trucks?" Harm saw Mac's eyes widen as she made the same jump he had. He waited while the others sorted it through.  
  
"But how could they get the trucks on base, sir? Since 9/11, security's been really tight. Wouldn't somebody notice that they didn't belong?" Tyler said, looking at Perez for confirmation.  
  
"Not if the trucks have been here all along," Mac replied. Harm gave a confirming nod.  
  
"They stole transport trucks from the base and hid them in the motorpool? Is everyone over there blind?" Singer asked in disbelief.  
  
"Who's in charge over there?" Harm asked.  
  
"Master Chief Wilkins, sir." Perez answered promptly.  
  
"We'll assume he's in on this," Mac said. "I think we need to visit the motorpool and take a look around."  
  
She looked around in surprise at the dead silence that greeted her statement. Exasperated, she said, "Not me." She glared at Harm and Perez, "Not you two either." She cut off Harm's protest, "I'd rather not spook anyone with senior officers. I was thinking about Corporal Bell and Ensign Tyler." She looked over at them, "You two up for some recon?"  
  
Tyler, still looking surprised, nodded enthusiastically. Bell merely smiled, the effect was chilling.  
  
"Good," Mac said, "Now we need some innocuous reason for a JAG officer to visit the motorpool."  
  
They hashed through a number of scenarios until they decided on an overzealous environmental group complaining about truck exhaust. Finally, Mac leaned back and said, "That should do it." She paused and looked around at the others, "Okay, it's 1122. Why don't we break for lunch and then you two," indicating Tyler and Bell, "can head over to the motorpool. The rest of us will meet back here at 1230."  
  
She stood up, everyone else rising as well, and watched as they filed out of the room. Bell and Tyler already had their heads together, formulating their plans. They were quite a pair, Bell made the ensign look like he was ten years old. Mac looked over at Harm, "Buy you lunch, Sailor?"  
  
"Sure," Harm smiled. He held the door for her and then waited while she locked it. Together, they walked out of the building. Singer was nowhere in sight, but Perez was standing just outside the doors talking to Bell and Tyler. After Harm and Mac returned their salutes, the three men fell in beside the two officers. Mac found herself in the center of the group. "Excuse me," she said, smiling slightly, "Did all of you practice this maneuver or was it just a spur of the moment thing?"  
  
"We've been working on this for hours and hours, ma'am," Perez said seriously. "Wait 'til you see us on bicycles."  
  
When they reached the cars, Bell and Tyler split off from the group. Mac watched them leave and then looked at Perez, "Any good places to eat besides the O club?"  
  
"There's a nice little family-style restaurant just outside the base," Perez replied. "I'm meeting my wife there, if you two would care to join us."  
  
"Sounds good, Captain," Harm said, glancing down to see Mac nodding also. He had half his attention on the surrounding area. He'd feel better when she was no longer out in the open. "You sure your wife won't mind?"  
  
Perez shook his head as he held the back door open for Mac. Harm slid in beside her. Ten minutes later, they stopped in front of a small building. Getting out, Perez said, "I know it doesn't look like much, but Mother Jones can cook like nobody's business. I think she's been here since Christ was a corporal. Her husband was in the Corps. A gunnery sergeant, killed in Nam."  
  
They walked in and stood in the doorway until Perez waved and started towards a petite redhead who was gesturing at them. When they reached the booth, Perez said, "Honey, I'd like you to meet Colonel Sarah MacKenzie and Commander Harmon Rabb. Commander, Colonel, this is my wife, Dr. Ellen Kelsey Perez." He smiled with obvious pride.  
  
"Mac or Sarah," Mac said, smiling and extending her hand.  
  
"Harm," Harm smiled as well. Dr. Perez was a pleasant-looking woman with a cheerful, outgoing manner.  
  
"Please call me Ellie," she said, shaking hands with them both. "Shall we sit?" After everyone had settled and the waitress had taken their drink orders, she smiled, "I've been looking forward to meeting you both, Bobby's been obsessing over this case. It's nice to put faces to the names." Mac and Harm exchanged slightly uncomfortable glances. Ellie saw and laughed lightly, "Oh, he never goes into details about current investigations and I don't ask. Turnabout's fair play, I can't talk about my cases with him."  
  
"What field are you in?" Harm asked.  
  
"She's one of the shrinks over at the base hospital," Perez said happily.  
  
Ellie gave her husband an amused look, "That's me, wig-picker extraordinaire. Someone has to keep Boo on the straight and narrow."  
  
"Have you two been married long?" Mac smiled, they reminded her of Bud and Harriet. Beside her, Harm looked at Perez with a grin and mouthed 'Boo?'  
  
Perez shrugged and said, "Short for Boomer. I'm pretty good with a riotgun." At the same time, Ellie was answering Mac, "About two and half years, but I was a camp follower for a year before that. My parents had a fit. I thought my dad would have apoplexy when we were married." With a mischievous gleam in her eyes, she leaned forward and stage whispered, "This is the first mixed marriage in the family."  
  
"Ell," Perez said. Mac was looking unsure of how to respond. He looked at Mac and Harm, "She's fourth-generation Army brat and I'm the first Marine in the family." He arched an eyebrow at his wife, "Not being a Marine tends to give people inferiority complexes."  
  
"I've noticed that," Mac agreed. Both Ellie and Harm snorted at the same time and smiled at each other. The rest of lunch went quickly while Ellie kept them laughing with tales of med school. Finally, Mac said, "It's 1213, we need to get back to the JAG office."  
  
Ellie looked at her watch in surprise and then glanced at her husband, "Wow, you were right." She looked at Mac, "That must be handy and annoying at the same time."  
  
"It is," Harm said dryly, earning himself an elbow in the side. Leaving the booth, they paid their checks and walked outside. Harm and Mac waited at their car while Perez escorted his wife to hers.   
  
Mac leaned against the side of the car while Harm scanned the area. She glanced around, "I'm sure it's okay, Harm. They're probably waiting for their rocket-powered rollerskates to be delivered."  
  
"Uh-huh," Harm answered, he looked down at her, "How can you be so casual about this?"  
  
"Beats being hysterical," Mac said, watching Perez approach. They piled into the car and headed back to the office. 


	15. Part 15

Part Fifteen  
  
Motorpool  
Memphis NAS  
1225 Local  
  
Bell pulled into a parking space at the motorpool. Beside him, Tyler took a nervous breath, "Okay, showtime." The corporal got out, marched around to the passenger side and opened the door. Grabbing his briefcase, Tyler walked to the office with Bell trailing behind.  
  
The PFC on duty at the front desk cast a bored glance as the young ensign opened the door and came in. His eyes widened considerably at the Marine corporal who followed him. "May I help you, sir?" he asked, his eyes still on the huge Marine, looming behind the ensign.  
  
Tyler consulted a slip of paper in his hand, "I'm here to see Master Chief Wilkins."  
  
"What about, young man?"  
  
Tyler turned to see a stocky, older man standing in an office doorway. His salt and pepper hair was closely cropped and the muscles he must have had in his youth were slowly going to fat. "Are you Chief Wilkins?"  
  
The Chief nodded. Technically, this young pup outranked him but he'd had ensigns like this for breakfast for more years than he could count.  
  
Tyler assumed a self-important attitude, "I'm with the Judge Advocate General's office. A complaint's been filed about some of your trucks. I need to discuss it with you." He threw a haughty glance over his shoulder, "Corporal, why don't you find something to do outside? Try not to get lost."  
  
Bell let a scowl chase across his face before once more looking impassive. "Yes sir," he growled. Turning around, he stalked out of the office. The Chief and the PFC exchanged looks of disbelief, the pompous little ensign must be out of his mind to annoy something that big.  
  
Bell stood in the doorway for a minute and looked around. One thing he had learned growing up was that people always assumed that someone his size was automatically stupid. He was also aware that he looked older than he was, but he was still young enough to find all of this incredibly exciting. He'd been as surprised and pleased by the Colonel's trust as Tyler. However, he had learned to tone down his responses at an early age. He'd inadvertently broken a lot of things when he was young. This spy stuff beat breaking up brawls and ferreting out info on his computer all to hell. He and Tyler had decided that he would be less of threat wandering around the truck yard. Keeping his expression blank and limiting himself to one and two syllable words would probably convince most people he couldn't even count.  
  
He started walking slowly through the yard, looking at everything and nothing. There were a large number of vehicles neatly parked, no doubt an equal number were out and about. Bell angled towards the maintenance sheds. Most of the enlisted who passed him, hurried by after one look. He stood outside the garage for a few minutes watching two privates wrestle with a carburetor. Casually, he turned to enter the building, only to have his way blocked by a staff sergeant.  
  
"No unauthorized personnel past this point, Corporal," said the sergeant, looking up. He was a wiry, brown-skinned man.  
  
Bell regarded him for about ten seconds and then said slowly, "I was looking for a pop machine." He could see one about twenty feet inside the door. He could also see a number of trucks.  
  
"Sorry, Corporal. You ain't authorized and you ain't gettin' in," the sergeant crossed his arms.  
  
"Okay, Sarge," Bell said equably, he turned around and ambled back the way he had come.   
  
The staff sergeant watched him walk away and turned back into the garage, shaking his head, "Dumb as a stone... "  
  
Ensign Tyler glanced at the Master Chief as they sat down in Wilkins' office. He needed to stretch this out as long as possible to give Bell a chance to look around. He rummaged through his briefcase for a minute or two until he thought Wilkins was going to explode. Then he pulled out a thick sheaf of papers, "I'd like to make sure we cover everything, Chief."  
  
Wilkins rolled his eyes as Tyler shuffled through all the papers. 'God save me from the young.' Putting an expression of polite inquiry on his face, he said in a pointed tone, "Ensign, it would probably help if I knew why exactly you were here."  
  
"Oh yeah, right," Tyler said, looking flustered. He managed to drop a stack of papers on the floor. He dropped to his knees beside the chair and made a show of gathering papers and sorting them. "Ummm, sorry, Chief." He got up and sat in the chair again. Tyler tried for a superior tone, "Chief, an environmental group based in Memphis has filed a complaint with our office about air pollution; specifically, your trucks. They claim that the following trucks have excessive exhaust problems." He pulled a sheet of paper out and handed it to Wilkins.  
  
The Master Chief looked dumfounded, "You've got to be kidding."  
  
"Sir," Tyler said.  
  
"What?" Wilkins said, looking puzzled.  
  
"Sir," Tyler repeated, "You have to call me Sir. I outrank you." He watched the Chief's face turn an interesting shade of puce and added self-righteously, "Don't make me put you on report."  
  
The office personnel jumped when the door to Master Chief Wilkins' office slammed shut. The yelling started a few moments later and slowly grew in intensity and volume. Every minute or so it was punctuated with an explosive 'Sir'. The PFC at the front desk cringed a little, listening to it. That arrogant little idiot no doubt deserved every moment but he still couldn't help feeling a bit sorry for the kid. He was startled when he realized that, at some point, the Incredible Hulk had returned. For a big man, he moved very quietly. It was a trifle unnerving.  
  
Finally, there was silence and the Chief's door opened. Tyler walked out, wide-eyed and white-faced, clutching his briefcase. Looking neither left nor right, he marched out of the office without a word. Bell hurried after him. They were silent as the Corporal pulled out of the parking lot. He looked worriedly into the rearview mirror, "Pick? Are you all right?"  
  
Tyler looked back at him, and said loudly, "My ears are still ringing." He worked his jaws, trying to get his ears to pop. He leaned back in the seat and said, "I've haven't been yelled at like that since I got caught stealin' Mammy Jackson's prize cantaloupe outta her truck garden. I think I'd pay good money to see Mammy and the Chief in a set-to." Bell shook his head and chuckled, the ensign was a surprising little guy.  
  
JAG office  
Memphis NAS  
1435 Local  
  
Mac watched Bell and Tyler leave the conference room in search of a quiet place to type up their official report. She shook her head in amazement, she had no idea they would work so well together. Looking over at the others, she saw Harm and Perez stifling smiles. Singer, for the most part, looked disgruntled. Mac wasn't sure if it was because the Lieutenant had wanted to be part of the action or if she thought their success was some sort of threat to her goals. Either way, she needed to get over it.  
  
Mac cleared her throat and said with a smile, "Those two turned into quite a team." She looked at Perez, "You might just lose Corporal Bell to JAG."  
  
Perez grinned back, "Not if I can talk Tyler into working for me."  
  
Harm got back to the business at hand, "From what Bell said, it sounds like we need to get into the maintenance garage and look around."  
  
Perez nodded while Mac said, "I agree."  
  
Harm paused, he was going to have to be very careful with what he was about to say. Taking a deep breath, he began, "I think it should be me and Perez." He watched the stormclouds gather on Mac's face and hurried on, "I'm not trying to be overprotective, Mac." He gestured towards her, "It's just that you're not at one hundred percent yet. You don't have full use of your left arm and you can't tell me that everything else has stopped hurting." He held his breath, waiting for her reaction. Actually, he was trying to protect her. The thought of these people getting their hands on her scared him to death. For once, though, he had a legitimate reason to keep her out of harm's way.   
  
Harm let out a relieved breath when Mac finally nodded reluctantly. The next part would be trickier. He was pretty sure what she would suggest next and he didn't want her anywhere near the motorpool.  
  
"You're not going in there without backup," Mac said, eyeing the two of them. She knew what Harm was trying to do. He was just lucky that this time there was justification for his position beyond his normal modus operandi. Running, jumping and climbing were pretty much out of the question for her for the time being. She could see Harm gathering himself for his argument if she should suggest herself. With just a hint of devilment in her eyes, she said blandly, "Take Bell and Tyler with you. Singer and I will play cavalry from here." The look on Harm's face as he mentally re-grouped was almost worth the frustration she was feeling about not being able watch his back.  
  
They worked on a general plan until Bell and Tyler came back and then spent the next several hours trying to cover all the angles in a little more detail. Finally, Mac called a halt. "I think we've beaten this one to death. It's 1720, let's take a break and then meet back here at 2030. The office should be secured by then and we can use it as a base of operations." The others nodded, gathering papers, and began to file out of the room.  
  
Harm looked over at Mac, "Dinner?"  
  
"I'm not sure I feel like going out again, Harm," Mac said apologetically.  
  
"Well, how about Chinese at the VOQ?" he persisted. He got to the conference room door first and held it open for her.  
  
"That sounds like a plan," she said, locking the door behind her.  
  
Harm looked at Ensign Tyler who was waiting for them out in the bullpen, "Tyler, are there any Chinese places that deliver around here?"  
  
"Two or three, sir," Tyler replied, "The Golden Dragon is probably the best."  
  
"Great," Harm said, "How about taking us to the VOQ?"  
  
VOQ  
Mac's Room  
1910 Local  
  
Harm finished up the carton of food and looked over at Mac. She was picking through the rest to see what was left. "Mac, it's time to talk."  
  
She sighed a little and leaned back, "I suppose so." Seeing him watching her expectantly, she scrubbed a hand through her hair and glanced at the ceiling. Directing her gaze back to him, she said simply, "Don't yell." Taking a breath, she jumped in, "When we get back to DC, I'm going to talk to the Admiral and then I'll probably resign my commission."  
  
"WHAT?" Mac gave him a stern look and he lowered his voice, "But why? Mac, you're a Marine. This is crazy... "  
  
She laughed mirthlessly, "And therein lies one of the problems. Harm, I've been seeing a therapist for over a month now. She's a civilian Emma Fine recommended, so it wouldn't show up on my permanent record. 'Archangel' was making me nuts. Every time I closed my eyes, some part of that nightmare would reach out and slap me. The Admiral is the only one I told, I thought he deserved the option of replacing me as Chief of Staff." She shook her head a little at the hurt expression on Harm's face. "I know you think I should have told you, but I just couldn't deal with it. Harm, those first couple of weeks back, you would get worked up if I stubbed my toe. Having you analyze my every word and expression to gauge how I was doing, was more than I could take at the time. Anyway, gradually things seemed to be getting better and then this internet porn case came along... "  
  
Harm groaned and covered his face with his hands, "And I show up on my white horse and knock you out of the box. Mac, I'm sorry."  
  
"Harm," Mac put a hand on his arm and waited for him to look at her, "I'm not blaming you for this." She gave him a quirky little grin, "Not when I can blame you for so many other things... being over-protective, occasionally insensitive, chronically late... and being my best friend." Harm offered up a weak smile and she continued, "Don't you see? At the first whisper of trouble, from Singer no less, the Admiral sends you to help. How can I serve under a CO who thinks I'm going to crack up at the first sign of stress on a case? It's not fair to him, it's not fair to me. At first, I thought about just transferring but this kind of thing follows you. I don't need to listen to a whispering campaign about how I used to be the JAG's Chief of Staff until I went bonkers. So... I've talked to Webb."  
  
"You didn't," Harm said in shock.  
  
"I did." Mac sat back and folded her arms, "C'mon Harm, after some of the situations Clay's gotten us into, how much more dangerous can it get? It won't be so bad, I'll still be doing something worthwhile and I could probably be stationed in DC. We would still see each other." She hesitated a moment and added slowly, "I guess, providing you would want to."  
  
He looked at her in surprise, where did that come from? "Of course, I'd want to see you." He leaned forward a little, "I think you're wrong about the Admiral." He held up a hand when she started to speak, "I agree that he made a mistake, sending me out here so quickly; but he did it out of concern. I know he trusts you. Are you dead-set on this?"  
  
"No, like I said, I'm going to talk to the Admiral first. Then I'll make my decision, nothing's carved in stone."  
  
Harm breathed a quiet sigh of relief, there was still a chance he could change her mind. 


	16. Part 16

Part Sixteen  
  
JAG office  
Memphis NAS  
2035 Local  
  
Mac looked at the assembled group. They had decided it would be unwise to assume that the JAG office was unwatched. What they were hoping was that these people were still focusing on her. Tonight, they would adhere to the pattern they had established over the last two days: working late into the night. The key change would be Mac and Singer being last in the building. Bell and Perez would leave first, followed after forty-five minutes by Harm and Tyler. The four men would rendezvous several blocks from the motorpool at 2200. Mac and Singer would leave for the VOQ at 2330. They would be accompanied by the other small change in the pattern: a MP that Perez assigned to them for the evening. If everything went well, Harm and Perez would already be in Harm's quarters at the VOQ.  
  
Time seemed to drag by and for once, Mac wished her internal clock wouldn't keep her apprised of every miserable second. Finally, Perez and Bell were out the door. She leaned back in her chair and watched Harm talk to Tyler. The young ensign had been growing noticeably more nervous. Harm eventually got him wrapped up in a convoluted and wildly improbable fighter pilot story. Listening with half an ear, she began to wonder if forty-one minutes and twenty-three seconds was enough time for Harm to finish his epic. Suddenly, it was time. Harm tossed her a jaunty smile and a thumbs-up, as he and Tyler headed out the door.  
  
Now it was just Mac and Singer. She looked over at the Lieutenant, "Why don't we go over the motorpool records one more time and see if we can find anything else of interest?" Singer nodded, anything would be better than sitting around staring at the walls and each other. They sat side by side, comparing notes and figures. Mac picked up the fuel consumption record and frowned. She glanced over at Singer, "Have you run across anything that tells us how many miles to the gallon these trucks get?"  
  
Lauren frowned in turn, shuffling through another stack, "Just a minute." She quickly sorted through a different set, "Here. Okay... loaded, they average about twelve miles to the gallon. Unloaded, about fourteen... hmpf, not much better."  
  
Mac ran a finger down a column of figures, "Let's see, every three weeks - fuel consumption jumps about 135 gallons. She started scribbling on a spare piece of paper, "That's 45 gallons a week, assuming they're going to the same location each time." She ran through a few more equations and then looked at Lauren, "Hand me that map, would you? Thanks." Singer watched as she copied the mileage scale onto a piece of paper, "Okay, let's figure 13 miles to the gallon. With 45 gallons, 1 truck would go about 293 miles, one way. I think that's too far." Lauren nodded in agreement. "All right, 2 trucks would go about 146 miles. That seems more reasonable. And 3 trucks would go 98 miles, 4 trucks - 73 miles. I don't think it would be any closer than that." She worked on the mileage scale for a minute or two. "Hang on a sec." Mac went into the bullpen for a minute and came back with a pushpin. Attaching the scale to the pin, she spread the map flat and stuck the pin on Millington, TN. She punched a pencil through the paper at the 145 mile mark and glanced at Singer, "Hold the map still." Carefully, she drew a circle on the map with her makeshift compass, then repeated the process using the 70 mile mark. Pulling the pin out, she looked down at the two circles, "There's our range."  
  
The two women bent over the map, looking for anything that might be a possible location. Suddenly, Lauren said, "Hah, look here ma'am." She put her finger on the map. Mac leaned over and read the name of the town. She looked up at Singer and smiled, "I believe you've found it, Lieutenant. Nice work." She grabbed the fuel consumption log and wrote across the top: 'Bethel, MS, hometown - Mrs. Allan Jarvis.'  
  
At 2325, Mac took one final look around and then locked the conference room door. She and Singer followed the MP, PFC Morris, out to the car. Mac waved the two of them on and paused long enough to lock the front doors as well. Turning, she hurried up the walkway. Morris was on the far side of the car. He was unlocking the driver's side door when he gave a startled yelp and disappeared from view. Mac and Singer stared in shock for a moment, then Mac started to move forward. Singer glanced back, her eyes widened and she yelled, "Colonel!"  
  
Mac spun around, her hands automatically going into a defensive position. A black-clad figure was shoving an object towards her. She threw out her left arm in a reflexive blocking move. The stun gun hit the plastic brace and sizzled. Her assailant froze for a split second in surprise. That fast, the heel of Mac's hand smashed into his face, sending him reeling backwards. She stayed close, hitting him hard in the chest while sweeping his legs out from under him. The maneuver turned him horizontal in the air before gravity took over. He landed heavily on his back. Mac followed him down and grabbed a handful of hair. She lifted up and then slammed down, bouncing his head off the pavement. Scooping up the stun gun, she spun back towards the car, still in a crouch.  
  
She saw Lauren's assailant finally make contact with his stun gun. The Lieutenant's eyes went wide, before rolling up in her head. She slowly slid down the side of the car. Mac launched herself at Singer's attacker. He turned towards her with a roundhouse swing. She ducked underneath, coming up inside his guard and shoving the stun gun into his torso. Triggering it, she had a moment's satisfaction watching him go rigid, before collapsing. Suddenly, she was hit hard from the right. Mac smashed sideways into the ground, the attacker landing on top. There was an audible pop and white-hot pain flashed through her. Frantic, she started scrambling. She couldn't afford to get caught on the ground where their strength and weight gave them a distinct advantage. Her foot came into contact with something soft, she pulled back and kicked as hard as she could. There was a muffled groan and she broke free, staggering to her feet. Her left arm was hanging uselessly at her side. The pain in her shoulder was pounding through her in time with the frantic beat of her heart.  
  
A stinging blow to her back sent her stumbling forward. Mac managed to turn without losing her balance. Lauren's assailant was back up and following her, telescoping baton in hand. She backed away, knowing she wouldn't be able to elude him. Black spots were dancing in front of her eyes, obstructing her view. She shook her head, attempting to clear her vision. Then an arm snaked around her neck from behind, yanking her painfully upright and cutting off her air. Abruptly, her side felt like it was on fire. She thought she heard someone angrily yell no as she sank into darkness.  
  
Motorpool  
2225 Local  
  
Harm and Perez flattened themselves against the side of the maintenance garage. They could hear voices and engines rumbling. Harm gestured towards a window a little ways down, Perez nodded. Carefully, they crept down to the window and took up positions on either side. Harm eased upright, looking into the garage. Ducking back down, he moved over to Perez and whispered, "Two enlisted, but I can't see much more. We need to get inside." Perez nodded and gestured with his head towards the back of the building. Cautiously, they began to move. Five minutes later, they were crouched beside a narrow door. Perez reached up and gently tried the handle. He looked over at Harm and mouthed 'locked'. Smiling at the frustrated look on the Commander's face, he reached in the back pocket of his black fatigues and pulled out a small leather case.  
  
The sudden rattling of the doorknob was all the warning they had. Going in opposite directions, they threw themselves down and tried to blend into the shadows. A man stood silhouetted by the doorway, before letting the door bang shut behind him. The brief flare of a match and then the glowing coal of a cigarette told them why he had come out of the building. Five long minutes later, he stubbed out the cigarette and went back inside. Perez was at the door moments later. He tried the knob and then grinned at Harm. The man had forgotten to re-lock it. He started to open it when Harm put a hand on his arm. Speaking softly, Harm said, "Let me check in with the Dynamic Duo." He pulled out a small hand-held and spoke quietly for a few moments. Turning back, he smiled at Perez and gestured towards the door, "After you."  
  
Perez eased the door open and quickly scanned the area. Seeing it was clear, he and Harm slipped inside. The maintenance garage was a very large building. Towards the back, were rows and rows of shelves containing truck and auto parts, as well as neat stacks of tires. All the bays were occupied, most by vehicles in various stages of repair. The last three bays, however, held three large trucks - their engines idling. Harm and Perez exchanged glances, there was going to be a run tonight. Perez pulled out a small digital camcorder out of a side pocket. Harm touched his arm and then pointed up. The captain looked up at the shelving behind them and then back to Rabb. Harm made a 'follow me' gesture and stealthily began working his way back to the shelves. Perez shrugged, put the camcorder back in his pocket and followed.  
  
Fifteen minutes later, they were snugged down on one of the higher shelves, with a bird's eye view of all three trucks. There had been a few tricky moments for the shorter Perez, but Harm had been there with his long reach to help out. Perez pulled out the camcorder and began recording. Harm got out his hand-held and updated Bell and Tyler on their current situation. Forty-five minutes later, Harm tapped Perez on the shoulder and pointed to his watch. They would need to leave soon. It had been a good night's work. Chief Wilkins had been by twice and Bell's staff sergeant seemed to be in charge of the convoy. There were eight other enlisted men working around the area, checking tires and making sure loads were secure. Harm had written down the serial numbers stenciled on the trucks and quietly relayed that information to Bell.  
  
They started to pull back when their attention was caught by a car pulling into the building. Perez heard Harm's quick intake of breath as three black-clad men got out. They leaned forward to listen. By some trick of acoustics, it was easy to hear normal conversations in spite of the distance. Perez pulled his camcorder back out and zoomed in for a better look. Two of the three were looking a little worse for wear. Perez felt his stomach drop when a fourth man got out and hauled a bound and gagged Lt. Singer out behind him. Beside him, Harm had gone rigid with shock. They heard the staff sergeant laugh.  
  
"What the hell happened to you? Did this little lady give you a hard time?" Several of the enlisted men who had drifted over, started sniggering. They laughed out loud when Singer wrenched her arm from the grasp of one of the men to stand on her own. She managed to look terrified and defiant at the same time.  
  
"Not her," said one of the black-clad men. "It was the other bitch... goddamn Marines." The other two walked back to the car and opened the trunk. They pulled a limp figure out and dragged it forward before dropping it unceremoniously on the floor. It was Sarah MacKenzie.  
  
"Goddammit!" another voice bellowed. Chief Wilkins stalked forward and glared at the men. "You were told to take her alive!"  
  
"She is," one said defensively. He shoved a toe under her shoulder and rolled her over on her back, causing a ragged moan. "See?"  
  
Chief Wilkins stared down at her and then looked back at the men, "Which one of you idiots stabbed her?"  
  
One of the men cautiously raised his hand. Wilkins stomped over to stand in front of him. "She broke my nose!" the man said nervously. A moment later, he was flat on his back with the Chief standing over him. "If she dies before she gets to where she's supposed to go, I will kill you." He looked up at the rest of the men, "Get them on a truck, we're running late." He turned and walked away.  
  
Up on the shelves, a desperate struggle was going on. Perez was doing everything he could to keep the Commander in one place. The two men strained against each other in dead silence. They were evenly matched. Although Rabb was larger, Perez was more heavily muscled. He needed all of it as he struggled to contain the older man. He didn't know what Harm was planning to do and he'd have bet money the tall commander didn't know either beyond his need to get to the Colonel. Finally, he managed to get his mouth close to Rabb's ear. He hissed frantically, "Stand down, Rabb! Goddammit, Stand down! We're wasting time!" Underneath him, Harm suddenly collapsed, breathing hard. Perez dove into a pocket for his hand-held, "Bell! Tyler!" he whispered urgently, "Follow the trucks when they leave! You hear me? Don't lose them, they've got the Colonel and Lt. Singer on board!" He heard a startled 'Yes Sir!' before shoving the small radio back in his pocket. He looked down at Harm, "Commander?"  
  
Harm was staring down at the floor of the building. "Those bastards put them in crates! ...They shoved her into a crate like some side of beef and nailed it shut... How the hell do they expect her to breathe?" he said in a hoarse whisper. A cold rage seemed to settle over him. He turned and swiftly began climbing down, Perez hurrying to catch up. They made it across the building to the backdoor in record time. Once outside the building, Harm spun and pinned Perez with a glare, "What gate would they go out?"  
  
The captain went over the layout of the base in his mind, he looked at Rabb, "Gate Four, it's close and opens out into a warehouse district. There'll be hardly any traffic at this time of night." He pointed off to the east, "It's that way, about a mile."  
  
Harm took off at a jog in the indicated direction, Perez hustled up alongside him. Harm looked over at the Captain, "Is there any place we can get close to the trucks without being seen?"  
  
Perez thought about it for a few minutes while they continued to run. Finally, he swerved off to the right, "Yeah, I know just the place." 


	17. Part 17

Part Seventeen  
  
Memphis NAS  
0042 Local  
  
Harm and Perez stood in the darkness and waited. They were an eighth of a mile from the gate. The road doglegged around several older buildings. Rabb hadn't said anything since asking for a location like this. Perez glanced at him, the Commander was the epitome of intense concentration. The captain was trying not to fidget while his mind played a spirited game of Second Guessing: What if this wasn't the gate? Would they be able to get close enough to the trucks without being seen? Could he have found a better location? He had contacted Bell and Tyler and told them to take another gate. Obviously, the people on duty at Gate Four were in on the scam. Would the two be able to pick up the trail again? Perez could feel a trickle of sweat run down his back. It was another warm, moist Memphis night. He tried not to think about what it would be like crammed into a small area without enough air... God, he hated waiting!  
  
The low rumble of truck engines galvanized their attention. Perez trotted across the street and the two men faded into the shadows of the buildings. The first truck came into view, gears clashing as the driver downshifted to make the turns. According to Rabb, the Colonel and Lieutenant were on the third truck. Perez didn't feel quite right calling it lucky but it did make things less complicated. To be sure, he repeated the truck serial numbers over and over to himself - a litany against nerves.  
  
The driver of the last truck slowed down to take the first turn, up ahead the taillights of the middle truck were already disappearing around the next. He hadn't been this nervous since he made his first run, well over eight months ago. This was the first time he'd had human cargo aboard and he didn't like it. Running a little blackmarket scam was one thing but that woman marine officer had looked half dead already. He didn't know what to do. He was in too deep now to get out; on the other hand, he wanted no part of murder. He could tell that Ruffin sitting beside him was having the same uncomfortable thoughts. The two men were so distracted by the night's turn of events, they never noticed the two dark shapes that detached themselves from the shadows and closed swiftly on the back of the truck.  
  
Rabb and Perez leaped up onto the rear bumper, hanging with one hand on the tailgate while quickly undoing flapties with the other. As soon as there was a large enough opening, they scrambled inside. Perez immediately turned around and began retying the flap. Harm pulled out a small, powerful flashlight and checked out the interior. He spotted the only two unsecured crates of the cargo up towards the front of the truck where they had apparently slid. He tapped Perez on the shoulder and hurried over to the crates. Running his hands around the edges, he tried to pry the lid off with his fingers. No luck. Frustrated, Harm looked around for something to pull out the nails. Perez dug into another pocket and came up with a Leatherman tool. He started working the nails out while Harm scrubbed his hands impatiently on his pants. As soon as Perez got the lid off, he was up and shining the flashlight inside. It illuminated the frightened eyes of Lt. Singer. Harm grabbed the tool from Perez and immediately started on the second crate, leaving the captain to get Singer out and untied.  
  
Working feverishly, Harm could have sworn it took an eternity to remove the lid. Finally, he was staring at a semiconscious Mac. Sweat was running down her face and her breathing was labored. He felt rather than saw the captain come up beside him and heard Perez say, "Let's lay this on its side and see if we can get her out that way." Carefully, they lowered the crate and slid Mac out onto the floor of the truck bed. Harm hissed to himself at the blood on her uniform blouse. He looked at Perez, "Captain, why don't you check and see if there's any clothes or blankets in this cargo?" He looked over at Singer who was staring wide-eyed at the still form of the Colonel. "Lieutenant?" She looked up at him, he could see she was having a tough time processing all this. "Lieutenant, why don't you give Captain Perez a hand?" He braced himself against the swaying of the truck and leaned over Mac.   
  
Her eyelids fluttered open, "Harm?"   
  
"Who else?," he said with a slight smile. He reached down and began unbuttoning her shirt. He needed to see how much damage had been done.   
  
A hand came up and swatted at him ineffectually, "Not now... headache."  
  
He chuckled quietly and continued unfastening, "I just need to look." When she didn't respond, he glanced up and saw her eyes closed again. Opening the shirt, Harm rocked back on his heels for a moment, jaws clenched. He heard a soft 'oh man' as Perez dropped down beside him, his arms full. Blood was slowly congealing along a long gash in her side. Her ribs were discolored from the earlier bruisings. It was the collarbone that drew his attention. Obviously broken, the ends had shifted and an ugly bruise covered the area. Harm guessed the rough handling she'd received after the break had forced the ends to move.   
  
He glanced at Perez, who hefted the load in his arms, "No clothes, Commander, but we found a crate of towels and linens. The Lieutenant's checking through the rest." He stared at broken collarbone, "We need to fix that."  
  
"I know," Harm said, taking some towels from the Captain and using them to pillow Mac's head. He wadded up another towel and pressed it against her side. He looked at Perez, "Start tearing some strips for bandages." He raised his voice, "Lieutenant?" He heard a faint 'Sir?'. "Have you found anything like water or alcohol?"  
  
"Not yet, sir."  
  
Harm gazed at Perez in frustration, "We have no way to clean out the damn wounds. Not to mention, with the amount of fluids she's been losing, she's probably dehydrated."  
  
Perez nodded sympathetically, "Sir? The collarbone?"  
  
"I know, I know," he ran a hand through his hair. "Any ideas how to do it?"  
  
"Maybe," Perez said thoughtfully, "My youngest brother broke his collarbone falling out of a tree. The doctor put a figure eight brace on his shoulders. It pulled them back and kept the collarbone aligned. ... Improved his posture, too."  
  
"Worth a shot," Harm said as he finished tying off a bandage to keep pressure on the gash. "Can you rig a brace?"  
  
"Yes sir, give me a couple of minutes."  
  
Harm busied himself, doing what he could to clean Mac up without benefit of water. Perez worked quietly and finally looked up, "Ready, sir." He indicated Mac, "She needs to be upright for a couple of minutes."  
  
Harm grunted. "Give me a hand getting her up." He crouched alongside. Together, they lifted her up at the shoulders, trying not to jostle her anymore than necessary. Harm slid in front of her, letting her lean forward against his chest. Her head rested on his shoulder. Ordinarily, this would have been pleasant.  
  
Perez slid the brace over one shoulder and then the other, taking a moment to pad each with a small towel. He eyed Harm a little nervously, "I'm going to start pulling, sir."  
  
Harm nodded and placed a careful hand lightly over the break. As Perez exerted more and more pressure, he could feel the bones shifting. Mac's body began to go rigid, her breathing harsh from the pain. Suddenly, everything slipped into place. She slumped forward against him. Perez relaxed the pressure a bit and then tied off the brace. He looked at Harm, "It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to try and immobilize that shoulder and arm, sir."  
  
Ten minutes later, they had done all they could. Now all Mac had to do was wake up. Harm settled down on one side of her, Perez on the other. Lt. Singer, after a fruitless search through the cargo, came back and quietly perched not far from the captain. Harm looked over at Perez, "Any idea how long we've been on this truck?" He couldn't help an involuntary glance at the still figure beside him. He wanted to hear Mac tell him precisely how long, right down to the second. He was beginning to worry that they had inadvertently hurt her more while trying to help. He wished she would wake up again.  
  
Perez consulted his watch, "I think it's been about forty minutes." He looked around the interior of the swaying truck. The canvas top, while noisy, at least let enough air circulate so that it wasn't unbearably hot. "I wish we knew how long we're going to be stuck in here."  
  
"Probably another hour, sir."  
  
Both men stared with surprise at Lt. Singer. She had braced herself into a corner of crates and was sitting with her arms wrapped around her legs and her head resting on her knees. "I... We... " She gestured with her chin towards Mac, "... think we've figured out where they've been taking everything." The two men looked at her expectantly. "Bethel, Mississippi, sirs. Mrs. Jarvis' supposed hometown? We figured out a range with the amount of fuel and Bethel falls in that area. It's in the middle of Holly Springs National Forest so it's probably pretty isolated. We checked it out on the internet, there's private land interspersed with the public lands. It'd be perfect for some militia group to hide out."  
  
Harm grimaced, squeezing his eyes shut, '... more damn wackos! How the hell were they going to get out of this?'  
  
"Shouldn't this be a hospital?"  
  
Harm's eyes snapped open. He looked down to see Mac's dark eyes watching him. "MAC!"  
  
She winced and he was instantly contrite. He continued in a softer tone, "Oh god, Mac. I'm sorry. I'm just glad you're awake. How're you feeling?" He knew it was kind of a stupid question, but he just couldn't help himself. She was awake!  
  
"Peachy." Her body was one giant ache but at least it was bearable. She was also desperately thirsty but if Harm hadn't offered her anything yet... "No water?"  
  
Harm shook his head, "Sorry."   
  
"Lousy service, remind me not to come here again," Mac had been relieved to see Harm - she thought she'd been dreaming earlier, "Where are we? How did you find us?"  
  
Harm smiled and then nodded towards Singer, "We think we're on our way to Bethel. Perez and I were still in the warehouse when they dragged you two in. The captain knew a place where the trucks would slow down enough for us to get aboard without being seen." He reached towards her when she tried to push herself upright, "Hey... "  
  
Mac arched an eyebrow at him. She decided she'd just found the one part of her body that didn't hurt like hell. "Harm... if we're going to try to escape these lunatics, I can't do it horizontally. At least let me work my way back to vertical a little bit at a time."  
  
Grudgingly acquiescing, Harm went so far as to support her while Perez hurriedly mounded bundles of linens behind her. Leaning back carefully, Mac surveyed the plethora of bandages encircling her. Looking at the two men, she said wryly, "If you were going for the mummy look, you forgot my legs."  
  
Perez grinned at her, "This is only a B horror flick. We didn't have the budget."  
  
Mac smiled back... that didn't hurt too much.... and directed her attention to Harm, "This wasn't the Acme Assassination Gang, was it?"  
  
Harm shook his head, "No, I don't think so. All evidence to the contrary, they weren't supposed to kill you, just grab you."  
  
"Damn, I think they should have practiced more."  
  
"Would all of you just stop it?!" Three sets of eyes turned surprised looks at Lt. Singer. She was staring at them, her hands curled tightly into fists. "What is the matter with you? We're stuck on some godforsaken truck headed for some godforsaken place where someone is going to kill us! How can you be so goddamn flippant?!"  
  
Harm put out a hand. "Lieutenant... " he said soothingly.  
  
"NO! This isn't fair! We aren't supposed to be here!" She glared at Mac, "We could have been back in DC by now. We SHOULD have been back, but you had to start looking into this damn case! What the hell is the matter with you?! This is YOUR fault!!" She sat there red-faced and breathing heavily.  
  
"Lieutenant." Harm's voice was considerably colder.  
  
"Harm," Mac said quietly, "Would you and Captain Perez excuse us for a moment?" Harm looked at her incredulously, they were in the back of a truck for godsakes. Where did she expect them to go?  
  
"Harm," Mac said again, her tone becoming a little more pointed. Harm threw up his hands and stared at Perez, who just shrugged. Together they made their way to a corner.  
  
"Lieutenant," Mac gestured her closer and said wearily, "Grow up." 


	18. Part 18

Part Eighteen  
  
Somewhere in Northern Mississippi  
0122 Local  
  
Singer stared at her open-mouthed. Mac continued inexorably, "You're a Naval officer, life is seldom fair and we're not dead yet. Deal with it." She closed her eyes for a moment, her head was pounding, the pain being echoed by her shoulder and her side. She decided she could cheerfully kill someone right now for a glass of water and a Volkswagen-sized Advil. Possibly even a cranky JAG lieutenant... Mac opened her eyes slowly, Singer had retreated back to her corner, the picture of sullen resentment. Oh well, the Lieutenant was in for a Rabb-sized attitude adjustment as soon as they made their escape.  
  
"Mac?" Harm and Perez worked their way back to her. "How're you doing?" In the dim light, Harm wasn't sure if she was feeling better or worse. He'd bet money on worse, dehydration couldn't be helping.  
  
"Fine," she was lying through her teeth and they both knew it. "Forty-two minutes, more or less, and we can get out of this chicken outfit."  
  
"Yeah," Harm smiled, "Listen, why don't you rest a little? We promise not to party without you."  
  
"Okay," Mac refrained from nodding her head, it would probably upset Harm when it fell off her shoulders.  
  
"Great, let us give you a hand getting settled." As before, Harm held on to her while Perez rearranged the padding. He leaned her back carefully and watched as she closed her eyes. When he rested a hand lightly on her forehead, her eyelids flickered momentarily and then stayed firmly closed. He waited until she drifted off, her breathing regular and steady.  
  
Harm shifted to a more comfortable position and saw Perez watching him. "Worse?" the captain asked quietly.  
  
Harm shrugged in frustration and said softly, "She feels hot."  
  
"It's hot in here," Perez pointed out.  
  
"I guess," Harm lapsed into silence. The attempts on her life had scared him. The fact that these people wanted her alive scared him even more. He kept coming back to what Mac had told him about Charlie Jacobs - that the bastard had found a buyer for her. Surely, that couldn't be it. That had been months ago, Jacobs was dead and buried. Anyway, it didn't matter; he would get her out of this. Somehow.  
  
*******  
  
Tyler peered anxiously ahead into the darkness. He could just barely make out the taillights of the last truck. They hadn't heard anything from Captain Perez since he had contacted them about the gates. He'd been pretty terse, only saying 'Gate 6, pick up 4'. Bell said he was afraid of his transmission being overheard. For that reason, they hadn't tried to make contact themselves. He felt way out of his depth, he was pretty sure Tink did too. Neither one was really sure what to do in a situation like this.   
  
First, there'd been the shocking message that the Colonel and the Lieutenant were on one of the trucks and that they had to follow. Then the call about the gates. Then... nothing. He and Tink had discussed it to death as they tried to maintain a discreet distance. Was the Colonel there involuntarily or had she managed to smuggle herself on board? Where were Commander Rabb and Captain Perez? Tyler had been thinking about calling the State Police. Bell had argued him out of it, pointing out that they didn't honestly know if any crimes had been committed ... and they didn't know where they were going.  
  
Tyler blinked, where were the taillights? Oh damn! ... "Tink?"  
  
"Yeah," came the bass rumble, "They must have turned... "  
  
They slowed down a little, each scanning the sides of the road anxiously. Tyler's head whipped around to look behind him, "There!" Bell hit the brakes and then backed up quickly. They stopped and looked down a narrow country road, Tyler looked at Tink nervously, "They'll know we're following now."  
  
Bell grunted thoughtfully and then turned off the headlights. Tyler stared at him, "This is nuts. We're gonna wind up in a ditch."  
  
"I can get us out of a ditch," Bell said, starting down the road. "Just watch out for trees."  
  
Tyler had thought it had been nerve-wracking before, but this was worse. Time and again, he was positive they had lost the trucks and then a taillight would appear ahead. Even as his night vision improved, there were places under the trees where it was still black as pitch. They had their windows rolled down, Bell was driving by ear as well as sight. They could hear when the tires left the asphalt, something that had kept them out of more than one ditch. The only good thing was that the trucks were going much slower too.  
  
The car glided to a halt. Tyler looked over at Bell in surprise, "What are you doing?"  
  
"Over to the left," Tink leaned back in his seat so Tyler could see past him. In the distance was the glow of electric lights. "They just came on a minute ago. I'll bet that's where the trucks are going."  
  
"How far do you figure?"  
  
Bell shrugged, in the dark, distances could be deceiving. "A mile maybe, more or less. I think we should go the rest of the way on foot." They got out of the car and Bell went around to the back and opened the trunk. He pulled out a couple of small backpacks, then opened a long case and grabbed two shotguns and a box of shells. He worked the action on both to make sure they were empty. Standing and thinking for a moment, he handed them to Tyler and reached back into the trunk. Pulling out a pair of slings, he took the shotguns back and attached them, then handed one to Tyler. Silently, they loaded the weapons. Bell looked over at Tyler, "Let's go." Shouldering their packs, they headed into the woods.  
  
Vicinity of Bethel  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
0235 Local  
  
Harm adjusted his grip on his pistol and glanced over at Perez. The captain looked back and nodded. They were poised on either side of the tailgate. Mac and Singer were deeper in the truck, hopefully out of the line of fire. The truck had finally stopped a few minutes ago and backed into some sort of building. They could see light filtering in around the flap. They heard the cab doors slam and crouched lower behind the tailgate. A few minutes later, their pistols were pointed at the startled faces of the driver and his partner. Harm put his finger to his lips and then gestured them into the truck.  
  
After a nervous look to the side, the two men clambered aboard. The driver's eyes widened when he saw Mac and Singer. Harm's own eyes widened when he heard the man whisper, "Thank god, ma'am. I was scared you were dead!" The driver looked at Harm and jerked a thumb at his partner, "Me and Ruffin didn't want no part of this, sir. Blackmarket's one thing but kidnap and murder? Uh-huh!" They turned when they heard Perez hiss a warning. He had been dividing his attention between the two men and keeping watch. The driver looked at Harm, "Let me handle this, sir. I can get rid of them." When Harm hesitated, he said, "Sir, you can always shoot me." The Commander gave an abrupt nod and the driver scrambled out of the truck.  
  
They heard him greet the arrivals, "Billings, Morton. What do you boys want?"  
  
"Hey Mario. Where's Ruffin?"  
  
"Call of nature. What do you want, Billings?"  
  
Billings' voice lowered, "We were just wondering about your... ahh... 'special' cargo."  
  
"What about it?" Mario's tone was flat.  
  
"Well, none of the bosses are here yet and we were thinkin'... Why not have a little fun while we can?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Oh c'mon, Mario. Look, you don't have to if you don't want to. Hell, you don't even have to be here. Just go take a stroll, we'll help you unload the rest of the stuff when we're done."  
  
"No. Beat it."  
  
"What? You want 'em all to yourself? Is that it, Mario?" Billings hissed angrily.  
  
There was the sound of fist hitting flesh and then Mario's voice, low and menacing, "Come on Morton, I'll kick your ass too." There was a brief silence, then Mario's voice again, sounding disgusted, "You two haven't got any more brains than the bottom of my boot. Get the hell out of here before I get mad." A minute later, Mario climbed back into the truck, "You need to get out of here before those jackasses put two thoughts together and come back with reinforcements." He glanced at the two women, "Beg your pardon, ladies."  
  
Harm smiled at him, "We're planning on it. Where the hell are we?"  
  
"Just south of Bethel, Mississippi, sir. This is part of the National Forest." He rubbed the back of his neck, "There's militia runnin' around down here. Bunch of damn rednecks pretending to be soldiers and drinking beer; we're smack dab in the middle of their playground. Their leader's some nut who lives and breathes conspiracy theories - thinks 9/11 was done by the CIA with the government's blessing. Calls himself Rev. Trask and if there's a religious bone in his body, then I'm Jesus Christ. I don't know which is worse, them or the Klan." He sighed, "You better get a move on, sir. Once you're out of the building, head northeast and stay away from the locals... and the local cops. Hell, stay away from everybody - I think they're all part of it, one way or another."  
  
"Okay, Mario. Just one more thing, would you have a spare shirt or jacket?" Mario gave him a puzzled look, Harm waved towards Mac. "Too much white showing for a night run."  
  
Mario looked over at her, he could see the bandages. "Just a minute," he disappeared out of the truck. Harm heard a cab door open and shut and then Mario was back. He was holding a dark windbreaker, "Here." He looked at Harm, "Let Ruffin bring the forklift over, we can use it to cover you." They watched as he and his partner disappeared out of the truck. Harm walked over to Mac and knelt down to help her get the jacket on. She looked at him with a small grin, "Rabb luck." He smiled back and glanced over at Singer, "Ready?" He threw Mac's arm across his shoulders and stood her up, tightening his grip when her legs buckled. He heard her murmur softly, 'Lost my sea legs, give me a minute.' Gradually, she took on more of her own weight and then said 'Okay.' They moved over to the tailgate where Singer was waiting with Perez.  
  
They heard the forklift and then Mario was there putting the tailgate down. "Get ready," was all he said and then, "Go." Singer and Perez went first. The captain made sure she was hidden and hurried back. He knew it would take both of them to get Mac off the truck without hurting her further. They waited once again for Mario's signal and then Harm was handing Mac down to Perez. The three stayed alongside the forklift as Ruffin backed away from the truck. They were almost to the pallets when Harm heard a quiet 'Hey'. He looked with surprise as Ruffin swung a small canvas bag to him. "Good luck," was all the man said as he sent the forklift back to the truck again. Harm took a quick look inside and stifled a laugh, there were half a dozen bottles of water and juice inside. "I'll be damned," Perez breathed softly with a grin. Gathering up Singer, they stealthily made their way to the small side door and disappeared into the night. 


	19. Part 19

Part Nineteen  
  
Vicinity of Bethel  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
0305 Local  
  
"Hold up," Harm said softly to Perez and Singer. They were in a thick copse of trees, as far as he could tell in the darkness. Heading northeast hadn't turned out to be simple. After clearing the building, it had been difficult to see much of anything. Neither he nor Perez had brought a compass, they hadn't been expecting a night march. To exacerbate the problem, it was a moonless, cloud-covered night. Their first priority had been to put some distance between them and the storage building. Harm and Perez had used the building as a focus point, leapfrogging each other in an attempt to at least keep a straight line. They couldn't afford to aimlessly circle in the dark. They'd been walking steadily for fifteen minutes, more or less, their pace set by what Mac could handle. Now, they all needed a break.  
  
Perez and Singer dropped gratefully to the ground. Harm lowered himself and Mac a little more carefully down. He positioned himself to lean against a tree and have her lean against him. The twenty-plus hour day was telling on all of them. The stress alone was exhausting. He felt Mac settle back against him, her head up by his shoulder. She was still breathing heavily. He brought a hand up to her forehead while letting his cheek rest against the side of her head. "How're you doing?" he asked in a soft undertone.  
  
Mac leaned into him a little more, not answering right away. He wondered if she was just trying to get her breath back or if she was trying to come up with a plausible lie to keep him from worrying. Finally, she said, "Right now, I'm good."   
  
He smiled and then raised his voice a little, "Water break." He had decided to ration everyone except Mac, both he and Perez had agreed that she needed to replace as much fluid as possible. Singer had muttered about it under her breath before subsiding into silence. Perez crept over and sat down next to them. He handed each a bottle. Harm took a couple of swallows and handed his back. When he felt Mac do the same, he said, "Hey."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Drink more, you're the one who's been leaking."  
  
"You sweet-talker. Mr. Perez will think I'm incontinent." Mac affected a southern accent.  
  
Perez laughed silently and quietly attempted his own southern drawl, "Why Miz MacKenzie, only a Yankee cad would suspect you of leaking anything other than the very finest blood."  
  
"If you two are through, " Harm commented dryly. 'Only Marines... ' He went on a little more seriously, "Ten more minutes and then we'd better get moving. I want to have some distance between us when they find out they're missing their 'cargo'.  
  
They fell silent, resting and listening to the night sounds around them. The wind veered around bringing a new, fainter sound. Perez and Harm looked at each other. Mac, feeling Harm tense, opened her eyes, "What's wrong?"  
  
"Listen."  
  
She quieted in concentration. Her eyes widened, "They know we're gone."  
  
Perez gave Harm a hand getting Mac to her feet, then slid a supporting shoulder under her arm. At Harm's look, he said softly, "My turn, Commander. You were beginning to look like a question mark."  
  
Harm started to open his mouth when a look from Mac closed it again. Instead he looked over at Singer, "All set, Lieutenant?" When she nodded, he simply said, "Let's go."  
  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
0305 Local  
  
Tyler and Bell crept closer to the storage building. Both were comfortable in the woods, having hunted and played there from an early age: Tyler, in the woods of southwestern Kentucky and Bell in the forests of northern Minnesota. The problem they were having was that now that they had successfully followed the trucks to their destination, neither had the slightest idea of what to do next. Tyler put his mouth close to Bell's ear and whispered, "Now we call the State Police?"  
  
Bell grunted softly, "And tell them what? We haven't seen anybody and I sure as hell don't know where we are exactly." The crunch of tire on gravel alerted them and they flattened even further into the tall grass. A car pulled in, its headlights sweeping their location as it made the turn to the building. Car doors slamming brought their heads up again. A tall, lean man in black got out of the driver's side. Tyler clutched Bell's arm when he saw the passenger get out, it was Captain Koslov.  
  
"Holy Christ! That's Admiral Crowley's Chief of Staff! Tyler said in amazement as the two men headed into the building. "Now what're we going to do?" In his surprise, he had spoken in a normal tone. Bell's large hand engulfed the back of his head and pushed him facedown in the grass. Bell scanned the area anxiously in all directions before taking his hand away. Tyler came up spitting dirt and grass blades, Bell glared at him and hissed, "Are you trying to get killed?" Wiping at his face, Tyler grumbled under his breath, 'Apparently... '  
  
Shouting inside the building, riveted their attention. They glanced at each other in alarm, unable to decide if they needed to run. The shouting seemed to intensify as more voices joined in. Suddenly, a stentorian bellow cut through the din, "SHUT UP AND FIND THEM!"   
  
Bell and Tyler looked at each other. RUN! Raising up on all fours, they scuttled backwards as quickly as possible, ignoring the jabs of sharp-edged rocks and weeds. By unspoken agreement, they got to their feet at the same time and sprinted for the trees. Reaching the treeline, Tyler was surprised to find Bell close behind him. He had no idea the big man was that fast. Tyler himself excelled at the sprint. Being the youngest and smallest brother in a large family, his weapon of choice when dealing with bullying brothers was to run like hell.  
  
Leaning against a tree while catching their breath, the two looked back at the building. A number of men came boiling out of the entryways, armed with flashlights. Bell was willing to bet that wasn't all they were armed with. He looked over at Tyler, "Back to the car." They headed out, moving as quickly and quietly as they dared. Two hundred yards or so from the road where they'd left the car, Tyler came to an abrupt halt. There was a line of flashlights approaching them. He turned to look behind. The first line of flashlights, a little further away, was closing in. He looked at Bell and they began moving parallel to the lights. It was a bizarre race. They had to get beyond the two lines. They couldn't go quickly for fear of making too much noise, if they didn't go quickly they weren't going to get out.  
  
Finally, Bell put a hand on Tyler's shoulder, stopping him. At Tyler's wide-eyed look, he pointed up. The ensign looked up and then nodded. Bell laced his fingers together and bent down. Tyler stepped into his grip, resting his hands on the big man's shoulders. Bell braced himself and then heaved upwards, launching Tyler into the air where he caught a tree branch a good twelve feet off the ground. Securing his seat, he looked down to see Bell unslinging his shotgun. Then he slid off his backpack and fastened it to the weapon. That done, he handed both up. Locking his legs around the branch, Tyler leaned down and grabbed them. He watched while Bell pulled off his ID tags and emptied his pockets, burying everything at the base of the tree. Finished, he looked up at Tyler, waved and jogged off into the dark, no longer trying to stay quiet. Tyler listened to the crashing through the underbrush, the sudden increase in noise as the pursuers spotted their quarry and finally, the silence. He climbed further up into the tree and sat there for a long time.  
  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
0420 Local  
  
Perez watched the lightening streaks of sky as dawn approached and muttered an obscenity. Judging from the look on Rabb's face, he was having the same thoughts. The rising sun had finally given them a reference point and he was chagrined to find they had been traveling more west than north. Right now they were holed up in a little dell, not far from a gravel road. They had actually been on the road when the sound of engines sent them scrambling for cover. Two jeeps had gone by loaded with armed men. Harm had decided they were too tired to journey safely in the daylight and had retreated back to the dell.  
  
They'd been there about ten minutes, long enough for the two women to collapse into sleep. Perez had volunteered for first watch. He glanced at the Commander sitting next to him and whispered, "If you're taking the next watch, you ought to get some rest, sir." Harm looked at him before nodding wordlessly. He turned and made his way back down into the dell. Perez watched him settle down next to the Colonel and then returned his attention to their surroundings. He thought about the odds of them getting out of this predicament and decided they still weren't very good. Mario had been right, they were smack dab in middle of a wacko militia's playground. At some point, they were bound to collide with these guys.  
  
He took a quick look at the sleeping figures and then went back to scanning the area. The Colonel was holding up better than he would have thought possible. He put it down to sheer stubbornness. She and the Commander were well-matched in that regard. The one who really surprised him was Singer. While she was obviously fit, he was pretty sure she wasn't in shape for something like this. However, she kept on slogging, keeping up with the rest. He just wished her attitude would improve. Sullen and resentful were hard to take after a while.  
  
He thought about his wife. Ellie would be worried by now. He'd been on overnight assignments before but he'd always let her know beforehand and he always managed to check in with her. Once again, he kicked himself for not taking his cell along. Both he and Rabb had decided they wouldn't need phones while they had the radios and had left them with Bell and Tyler. He wondered about those two. He'd told them to follow the trucks and he knew that's just what Corporal Bell would do, come hell or high water. Now he regretted it, those two were just kids really. Neither had been in a situation like this before and he had, in essence, dropped them right in the militia's lap. That brought him back to the case at hand. The missing supplies were definitely going to the militia - Mario obviously thought it was just a small-scale blackmarket scam. There had to be more to it than that. This kind of thing was too dangerous to risk on paperclips. Maybe they had figured out a way to scam the computer systems and divert weapons and money.  
  
What he had trouble figuring out were the attempts on Colonel MacKenzie. It had all the earmarks of a vendetta; but why, after apparently trying to kill her, did they take the even greater risk of kidnapping? The two JAG officers thought there were two separate groups: the Acme Assassination Gang (Perez shook his head over the name) and someone else. Rabb thought remnants of 'Archangel' were somehow involved and the Colonel didn't. He was siding with Rabb on that. Even though the official 'Archangel' investigation was still going on, they had pretty much hit a dead end. They'd snatched up the slow and the stupid in those first hectic days, the rest had vanished back into the woodwork. He wondered if the militia group was somehow tied in with 'Archangel'.  
  
Perez tensed when he heard the sound of engines again. He crouched lower as they came into view. Two jeeps stopped about 150 yards from where they were hiding and six men got out. As they fanned out, he backed carefully down the slope. He figured he had about ten minutes and he quietly woke the rest of the group. Signing to them that they had company coming, he gestured for them to stay put and quickly began covering them with leaves and debris. Dragging over a large branch completed his camouflage and he hurriedly smoothed out signs of its passage as he retreated deeper into the trees. In the dim light, he was counting on his dark clothing to keep him concealed among the underbrush. He pulled out his pistol and waited.  
  
Several long minutes later, two figures appeared at the lip. He was hoping they didn't have the military discipline that would make them search the dell thoroughly in spite of the brambles and he was praying they weren't woodsmen enough to recognize that the ground had been disturbed recently. He resisted the urge to collapse in relief when the two men split up and began walking in opposite directions around the edge of the dell. Apparently, they had decided a visual sweep would be enough. Still, it wouldn't do to relax his vigilance until they were well and truly gone. After what seemed to be an eternity, there was the sound of engines starting up and driving off. Just to be sure, he waited another five minutes and then took a circuitous route out of the dell to recon the area.  
  
After satisfying himself that they had gone, he hurried back to the dell and down the slope. "Commander? Colonel?" he called quietly. Rabb rose up out of the leaves first, weapon in hand and then the Colonel and the Lieutenant. "All clear, sir, ma'am." All of them visibly relaxed.  
  
"I guess we'll be safe here for a while, now that this area has been searched," Harm said thoughtfully. He looked over at Mac and Singer, "Why don't you two see if you can sleep a little more?" He was half expecting an argument from Mac but she merely nodded and lay down again. He exchanged worried looks with Perez and then said, "Captain? I believe it's my watch."  
  
Vicinity of Bethel  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
0640 Local  
  
The sun shining on Tyler's face finally caused his eyes to snap open. He froze for a moment before remembering where he was. Carefully, he sat up. He had woven a sling seat between two branches with rope from his backpack. It was something he hadn't done since he was a kid; when sleeping in a tree was done for the novelty. Climbing down a little, he checked out the area. Nothing. Returning to his perch, he sat and considered his situation. He decided that the knot in his stomach was because he was hungry - officers, good officers didn't get scared. He wondered what had happened to Tink and then tried not to think about it. He was alone in hostile territory and he didn't know what to do.  
  
Finally, he reached for his backpack. He thought there were some foodbars of some sort in there. His hand came in contact with a small, plastic object and he pulled it out to look. It was Commander Rabb's cellphone. He'd thrown it in the pack last night because he was afraid it would fall out of his pocket while he slept. He stared at it for a long moment and then opened it up. Trying the speed-dial, he hit 1. Several rings later, he heard, 'This is Sarah MacKenzie... ' Hanging up, he tried 2. On the second ring, there was a click and he heard, 'Judge Advocate General. Petty Officer Tiner speaking.' Tyler stared at the phone in amazement until he heard, '... Hello?'  
  
Hurriedly, he put the phone to his ear and said, "Hello? Ummm... I need to speak to Admiral... Admiral... " Oh god, he couldn't remember the name of the Judge Advocate General!  
  
"Chegwidden?" supplied Tiner.  
  
"Yes! Admiral Chegwidden!"  
  
"May I ask who's calling?"  
  
"This is Ensign Tyler with the Memphis JAG. I'm working with Colonel MacKenzie."  
  
"One moment."  
  
There was a pause and then a voice said, "Chegwidden." 


	20. Part 20

Part Twenty  
  
Vicinity of Bethel  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
0905 Local  
  
Mac woke up to the soft murmur of voices. Opening her eyes she saw Harm and Perez sitting together. From the guilty looks they exchanged when they saw her watching, she guessed they had been discussing her. When she started to sit up, Harm scooted forward to give her a hand. She gave him a grateful smile. He smiled back, "How're you feeling?"  
  
"Better," she answered truthfully. When they had finally stopped early this morning, she'd been dizzy with fatigue. Hurrying through the dark woods, tensely listening for sounds of pursuit, on top of the day she'd already had, had worn her to a frazzle. Eventually, she'd shut everything else out as she focused on putting one foot in front of the other. Now, at least, her headache was merely lurking and her shoulder was just a dull ache. Sensitive to any jarring - she could count on throbbing pain whenever they started moving again. It wouldn't be disabling but it would be draining. Mac shifted a little uncomfortably, she would be compromising their chances of escape.  
  
Harm watched the expressions flit across Mac's face and glanced at Perez. Typically, she was a lot more guarded about her feelings. "Are you sure you're all right?" He winced a little at the look he got. 'Okay, Rabb, that was stupid - try again.' Pitching his voice in his most reassuring tone, he said, "We're going to get out of this, Mac." A slight flicker in her eyes told him what was bothering her, he continued firmly, "All of us." When she started to open her mouth, he arched an eyebrow. She subsided and he could see her reconsidering her next words. Finally, with a small smile, she asked, "Where's Singer?"  
  
Harm grinned, "Taking a turn at watch so she can brood in peace."  
  
Perez sat and watched the interplay between the two officers with amusement. They were so attuned to each other, he was hard-pressed to believe they weren't married. Although he really hadn't known them that long, he enjoyed their company. He felt a little closer to the Colonel; she shared his sense of the ridiculous (and laughed at his jokes) ... and she was a Marine. When he had mentioned this to Ellie, she chuckled and teasingly told him he was fixated on green. Since she was wearing green at the time, all discussion had soon ceased. He sighed a little, Ellie would be past worried and well into scared by now. When she discovered that no one would be able to answer her questions, she'd move right into thermonuclear mode. Flaming red hair and an Irish heritage equalled temper squared. He pitied the first person who tried to blow her off.  
  
He finally looked up to see Rabb and MacKenzie watching him quietly. Mac spoke first, "Are you all right, Captain?"  
  
"Just thinking about Ellie, ma'am."  
  
"Worried about her?" Harm asked, he liked the petite Dr. Perez.  
  
Perez grinned half-heartedly, "More worried about the base, sir. When my wife gets mad, she can make a tornado look like a spring breeze."  
  
"Feisty, huh?" Harm said blandly, with a sideways glance at Mac.  
  
"Opinionated," Mac rejoined, smiling sweetly.  
  
"Irish," Perez said, smiling broadly now. When Mac asked how they had met, he launched into a tale of their courtship. He was a good storyteller and time passed quickly as he described the storming of the Army bastion (Ellen's father and three older brothers - all regular Army) to claim his bride. And told, with self-deprecating good humor, of his efforts at a romantic evening so he could surprise her with a marriage proposal. Before he'd been able to launch into his speech, she had turned to him and said, 'This is fun. Let's get married.' By the time he finished the story, it was his turn to watch again. He headed up the slope to relieve Singer.  
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
0830 Local  
  
Trask eyed the large man sitting in front of him. There were bruises on his arms and a slight cut on one cheek. It made him look even more sinister. The militia leader glanced involuntarily at the two armed men waiting at the door. He would never admit to fear, but he was grateful for the guards. Adopting a suitably menacing tone, he said, "Who are you? What were you doing out there?"  
  
The man looked at him and then said in a voice that sounded like it came from the depths of the earth, "Tinker. I wanted to join your militia."  
  
"How did you find out about us?" Trask was a cautious man and he didn't like coincidences.  
  
"Asked."  
  
"Where's your ID? You always walk around with nothing in your pockets?"  
  
Tinker shrugged, "I had stuff before." He scowled a little, "Had a wallet, too."  
  
Trask grunted sourly, some of his men would steal the backteeth off a goat. He plowed on. "Why were you running?"  
  
The man looked perplexed, "I was being chased."  
  
The guards rolled their eyes in amusement. Trask glared at them and then looked back at Tink. "We found your car, it has government plates and military stickers on it."  
  
Tink stared back, "Didn't drive. Hitchhiked."  
  
Trask looked at him in disbelief, "You? Hitchhiked?"  
  
Tink looked uncomfortable, "Told a man at a bar I needed a ride. He didn't say no."  
  
Trask pounced, "What bar?"  
  
Tink looked even more uncomfortable. "Don't know, can't read," he mumbled.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Can't read!" Tink said angrily.  
  
Trask found himself leaning away and straightened up, feeling flustered. The two guards looked ready to shoot. "What were you doing at the storage building?"  
  
The big man sat glowering at him, apparently still upset over the last question. At last, he said in a sullen tone, "Never saw a building. Just saw lights."  
  
He stared at Tinker for a long time. Tinker stared impassively back. Finally, Trask gestured to the the men, "Take him back to the shed." As soon as the office door had shut, a side door opened and Captain Koslov walked in. Trask looked over at him, "What do you think?"  
  
"Shoot him and be done with it." Koslov didn't like Trask much and was openly contemptuous of the militia. But he had his own agenda and he needed this paranoid lunatic and his toy soldiers for a little while longer. He was still angry over the escape of MacKenzie and the lieutenant. The two drivers had doggedly stuck to their story. They'd put the crates in and they'd taken the crates out. They never looked inside, they hadn't seen anybody and they never stopped along the way. Goddamned enlisted! He hadn't had time to really interrogate them. The supply runs were on a tight schedule and they had to be back on base before daybreak. He would have to do what he could to find the two officers with these intellectually-challenged hillbillies.  
  
Trask eyed the Navy captain. The arrogant, condescending man grated on his nerves. Damn smug Yankee - northerners always assumed southerners were stupid, primitive rednecks still fighting the Civil War. He'd been downright tickled to discover those two women had escaped from Koslov's men and not his. He managed to get off a few pointed barbs and had the satisfaction of seeing the Captain practically apoplectic with rage. He preened to himself that he would never treat his men that way. Tweaking Koslov was becoming a favorite pastime. Putting on a thoughtful air, he said, "Obviously, there's not a lot going on upstairs; but with my personal attention, we can make a soldier out of him."  
  
Irritated, Koslov just snorted. Tinker wasn't the only stupid one. He returned to what he considered the more important problem, "Where have your men searched?"  
  
Vicinity of Bethel  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
0700 Local  
  
"Chegwidden."  
  
Tyler gulped, how do you talk to an Admiral? "Umm, sir? This is Ensign Tyler... "  
  
"I'm aware of that, Ensign. Why are you calling?" AJ smiled to himself, the ensign sounded very young.  
  
"Oh... uh, yes sir," Tyler kicked himself mentally, "Sir, I didn't mean to bother you... well, I did... I mean, I didn't know what to do and I don't have anyone to talk to and then I remembered I had Cmdr. Rabb's cellphone so I just hit speed-dial. I got Colonel MacKenzie first, but then I got you and... well... I was hoping you could help... Sir."  
  
AJ sat for a moment, bemused. Did all ensigns sound like a young Bud Roberts? Then he sobered, what was the ensign doing with Rabb's cellphone? "Tyler? Start at the beginning."  
  
"Yes sir," Tyler took a deep breath and then hesitated, "Errr, sir? Do you mean the very beginning when I met Colonel MacKenzie or the beginning when Capt. Perez told me and Cpl. Bell to follow the trucks because the Colonel and Lieutenant were on board?"  
  
Chegwidden straightened suddenly, "The Colonel and the Lieutenant were on board what trucks?"  
  
"The trucks that were moving the stolen supplies, sir. The Colonel and the Commander thought they were going to a militia group."  
  
"What militia group?"   
  
There was a slight pause, then Tyler said faintly, "I don't really know, sir. I guess the one I'm hiding from."  
  
AJ held on to his patience with both hands and said carefully, "Where are you, Ensign?"  
  
There was a longer pause and then, even more faintly, "In a tree, sir." Tyler rested his head against the trunk, this was not going well.  
  
AJ stared at the phone and then rubbed his eyes. He started to ask why and then stopped. He refused to play 'Who's on First?' with a kid who probably never heard of Abbott and Costello. Instead, he said, "Where's the tree?"  
  
"Mississippi, sir."  
  
"Where in Mississippi, Ensign?" He wasn't sure how much more he could take.  
  
"Ummm, I'm not sure, sir. Tink was driving, I was busy watching the trucks. After we left the main highway, I didn't have time to watch for signs. It took us almost two hours from the base," he added helpfully.  
  
"I see," he knew he would regret this, "Who's Tink?"  
  
"Oh, uhh, Corporal Bell, sir. Tink... Tinker's just a nickname." Tyler was silent for a moment, "He let that militia catch him so they wouldn't find me, sir."  
  
"Sounds like a good man, Ensign," AJ said quietly, '... oh god, Tinker Bell?'. "We'll make sure we get him back." He continued a little more brusquely, "Where is Commander Rabb?"  
  
"I don't know, sir," Tyler said miserably. He was feeling more and more like an idiot.  
  
AJ rubbed the back of his neck. "Let me rephrase that, Ensign. Where was last place you knew Commander Rabb to be?"  
  
Tyler brightened a little, "In the maintenance shed at the motorpool, sir, with Capt. Perez. They thought the stolen supplies were being hidden there and they went to check it out. Bell and I were waiting outside as backup. It sounded like everything was going pretty well, they had evidence on tape and they were getting ready to leave. Then the Captain called and told us to follow the trucks and not lose them - the Colonel and Lieutenant were on board. He was out of breath and he sounded a little frantic, sir. He called again about five minutes later to tell us to go out Gate 6, the convoy was going out Gate 4. That was last we heard, so we caught up with the trucks and stayed with them."  
  
"All right, Ensign," AJ said, "How's the battery on the cell phone?"  
  
"Uhhh, still looks strong sir." Tyler replied.  
  
"Good," AJ instructed, "Turn it off and then turn it back on in an hour." He looked at his watch, "That will be 0840 your time. Stay put for now, Tyler." He hung up and then punched the intercom, "Tiner? Find Cmdr. Turner and Gunny Walters and have them report to my office, lay on a flight to Memphis ASAP, cancel my appointments and get the JAG office at the Memphis NAS on the phone." 


	21. Part 21

Part Twenty-One  
  
Vicinity of Bethel  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
0840 Local  
  
Tyler flipped open the phone as soon as he heard the soft tone. He'd turned the volume almost completely down as traffic in his area increased. "'Tyler," he whispered.  
  
"Chegwidden, Ensign," AJ spoke quietly, taking his cue from Tyler. "Are you all right?"  
  
"Yes sir. A bunch of militia showed up half an hour ago. They're combing the area."  
  
"Will you be safe?" AJ didn't want anything to happen to the young man.  
  
"Yes sir. The leaves are pretty thick and they don't look up often."  
  
"Good. Ensign, when you said Capt. Perez called you? Did he use a cell phone?"  
  
"No sir, we all have hand-held radios."  
  
"Have you tried to contact Capt. Perez?"  
  
"No sir, we were afraid we might compromise his position. Anybody with a radio can hear these things."  
  
AJ sat for a moment in thought, the ensign had a point. "If you can get to the road you came in, do you think you can get out of the area without being seen?" If he could get Tyler to a place where he could give specific directions, it would make any rescue op a lot easier. After talking to Tyler the first time, he'd talked to a Lt. Barker at the Memphis JAG. What he learned made him want to blister the hide off someone. The MP assigned to Mac and Singer had been found in the parking lot with a skull fracture. There'd been no sign of any of his JAG officers this morning. Tyler, Bell and Capt. Perez had been listed as UA. Apparently Admiral Crowley, mindful of negative publicity, had treated the MP as a simple random assault. His opinion, expressed in scathing terms to Lt. Barker, was that the missing JAG officers were an undisciplined bunch, were no doubt responsible for the UAs and would turn up eventually. When Chegwidden arrived in Memphis this afternoon, he would have that man's ass. The sound of Tyler's voice brought him back to the present.  
  
"Yes sir, but sir? I think I could do more if I stayed here. Once these guys have cleared out, I can scout the area."  
  
"Tyler, I don't want them to find you. Right now you're my only link to the rest of my people."  
  
"Sir, they're not looking for me. They were... are... looking for the Colonel and the Lieutenant. I guess Cmdr. Rabb and Capt. Perez got them out. Tink and I were just in the wrong place when they found out about the escape."  
  
AJ's eyebrows went up in surprise, he had assumed his three officers and Capt. Perez were in the hands of the militia. That they were on the run put a whole new spin on the problem. However, in either case, good recon would be invaluable. "No offense Tyler, but can you do it and not get caught?"  
  
"Yes sir. Growing up, I spent more time in the woods than I did in the house. Half these militia guys stomp around here like they've never been further than their backyards. I'd really like to try it, sir." Tyler threw in his final argument, "We're not supposed to leave our own behind, sir."  
  
Covering a chuckle by clearing his throat, AJ took a moment to think it over. At last he said, "All right, Tyler. I'm going to give you my cell phone number. I want you to check in every two hours or as the situation merits, understood?"  
  
"Yes sir, thank you sir!"  
  
"Oh and Tyler? I will be out of touch during my flight to Memphis this afternoon. That would be from 1320 to 1450, your time. Try to stay out of any life or death struggles, will you?"  
  
"Aye-aye, sir."  
  
Vicinity of Bethel  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
1318 Local  
  
Mac pillowed her head with her good arm and idly watched Harm fiddle with a small radio. He'd come off watch thirty-two minutes ago. Lt. Singer was taking her shift and Capt. Perez was napping. Neither man would agree to her taking a turn. She hadn't really expected them to, but thought she'd give it a try anyway. Waiting was boring and left too much time for introspection. Her body had taken enough physical abuse without adding a self-inflicted mental beating. The plan was to move out at dusk, six long hours away. She started to take a deep breath and then stopped, trying not to wince. The gash along her ribs was becoming more sensitive. She'd rather not let Harm know, there wasn't much he could do and she wasn't in the mood for fussing. The wound was long and shallow. She considered it annoying but not life-threatening.  
  
Mac glanced back at Harm and was surprised to see him sitting quite still, listening intently. She concentrated and then realized the background sound she'd been hearing subconsciously was growing louder. At almost the same time, Singer came sliding down the slope, wide-eyed and anxious. "Jeeps! A lot of them! They're heading this way!"  
  
Perez had popped awake as soon as the Lieutenant had begun her descent. He looked over at Harm, "If they flood this area with searchers, they're going to find us."  
  
Harm scrubbed a hand through his hair, "Yeah, we need to get out of here." He looked around for a moment, "The road could be a boundary for the search area. If we can get north of it, we can probably keep ahead of them." He helped Mac to her feet and steadied her while she regained her equilibrium. "Let's go." They hurried to the edge of the dell and cautiously peered out. Although the engines sounded nearer, they still didn't see anyone. Harm looked at everyone, "Try to stay undercover as much as possible 'til we hit the road, then run like hell."  
  
"I'll take the Colonel," Perez said. Harm glared at him. Mac cut in, "He's right, Harm. We're closer in height, it's easier on me when we run."   
  
Harm nodded although still scowling, they didn't have a lot of time. Quickly, the four made their way to the underbrush close to the roadside. They spread out to attract less attention. Mac and Perez would be the biggest risk, they'd go last. Harm moved to the edge of the road and crouched there. He signaled and Lt. Singer sprinted across. Harm went next. He had just reached the far shoulder when the first jeeps came into view. He dove and rolled before scrambling into the brush on the other side. Mac and Perez saw him come up alongside a tree and almost as one, they all looked up the road. For one moment, they thought they'd gotten away with it. Then the sudden acceleration of the lead jeep and accompanying yells proved them wrong. Harm threw one last look their way and then he and Singer took off at a run.  
  
Perez flattened further into the leaves as four jeeps skidded to a halt not ten yards away. A dozen men leaped out and began the pursuit, leaving a driver in each jeep. The captain had a hand on Mac's good shoulder, he had no idea what she would do. She was rigid with tension. Three more jeeps came up, skirted the four parked vehicles and headed up the road. No one even glanced at the south side of the road. The two marines lay motionless, hidden by the scrub as the sounds of the pursuit faded into the distance.  
  
Fifteen minutes passed, twenty... the drivers had congregated together to smoke and chat. Then the silence was broken by the sound of a rifleshot, closely followed by another. Mac jumped at the first, Perez clamped down harder. At the second, her hand shot out and grabbed a fistful of his shirt, her knuckles white from the strength of her grip. Neither moved again. The minutes dragged by. The drivers who had milled around excitedly after hearing the shots, soon settled back in their vehicles. Perez glanced over at the Colonel. She could have been carved in stone. He looked back across the road and focused on his breathing, he didn't want to think just yet. Finally, the sound of voices came drifting on the breeze. Although neither moved, there was an almost tangible sharpening of attention. It took an eternity but a crowd of men came into view. Mac's hand jerked once when Harm and Singer appeared in their midst.   
  
Hands bound behind, they were being pushed along by laughing, jeering men. Both looked worse for wear. Their pantlegs were wet from the knee down, small scratches and tears were evidence of headlong flight through thick underbrush. An angry red mark on the side of Harm's jaw told of the bruise yet to come and a thin trickle of blood worked its way down his forehead. They were loaded onto separate jeeps. The rest of the militia piled in where they could and the group turned around and headed back. Still, the two waited. Five minutes later, the last three jeeps sped by.  
  
When they could no longer hear the engines, Perez felt Mac release her hold. Slowly, he rolled over and sat up, his body protesting the prolonged inactivity. He looked at the Colonel, she had pulled her arm in front and was resting her forehead. Perez waited silently, he couldn't think of anything to say. At last, she raised her head and looked at him, "Help me up." He pulled her to her feet and watched expectantly as she stood and stared at the ground. When she looked up, he almost stepped backward at the suppressed anger in her eyes. "We're going back."  
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
1120 Local  
  
Tink sat with his back to wall of the small storage shed. The metal roof was quickly collecting heat. He had already taken off his shirt. He didn't think it would get hot enough to kill him but it would definitely be uncomfortable. Vaguely, he wondered if they had bought his Neanderthal act. People generally believed what they wanted to believe and he certainly didn't look like a Rhodes scholar. With a little luck maybe they wouldn't shoot him out of hand. Truthfully, he thought he had pulled it off. If he read the militia leader right, the man craved power and, more importantly, the appearance of power. Having someone of Bell's size and demeanor at his beck and call would be a huge boost to his ego. And leaving Bell in this shed for a few hours could just be a subtle demonstration of his authority... that or the idiot had forgotten Tink was in here.  
  
He closed his eyes and shifted a little to try and get more comfortable. Bell wondered if Tyler was all right. He was a funny little guy. He rarely lost his temper, had a surprising amount of guts and was a fount of eclectic information: fact, fiction and everything inbetween. Tink thought he had the makings of a good officer - almost as good as Perez. If nothing else, this whole episode with the JAG officers was giving him a helluva experience. Bell smiled to himself, he was also aware that Tyler was somewhat enamored with the Colonel. Tink could afford to be a touch condescending about it, looking at it as he did from the weight of his twenty-five years. At twenty-one, Tyler was just a kid. He could understand the infatuation, she was intelligent and good-looking. And completely unavailable, if he was any judge of the tall Naval Commander. Tink, himself, hadn't had much experience with female officers, the Colonel wasn't what he'd been expecting. Lt. Singer, on the other hand, was. Maybe it was the difference between being a Marine and just a Naval officer. He could see where overcompensation might occur.   
  
He hoped the Captain and the Commander had gotten them safely away. From all the commotion before he was grabbed, it was pretty obvious the Colonel and the Lieutenant had escaped. Still, they were in the middle of nowhere, on foot and surrounded by hostiles. Tink didn't think their odds were all that good. Which made it even more important that he work himself in with the militia. It would be stupid to expect any sort of trust on their part. What he was hoping for was complacency. If they thought he was dumb as a post, maybe they wouldn't keep that close an eye on him.   
  
He broke off his musing at the sound of the padlock being handled. Suddenly tense, he forced himself into an attitude of stolid acceptance. The sunlight streaming in when the door opened made him squint. He could just make out the silhouettes of three large men. The first one spoke, "Well, boy, Rev. Trask thinks we might just make a soldier outta you. It's gonna be my job to whip you into shape." He lowered his voice threateningly, "You make sure you do what you're told, boy, or I'll kick your ass."   
  
Tink stared up at him. If this guy was trying to intimidate him, he was doing a piss-poor job of it. Obviously, he'd never been through Parris Island. On the other hand, Bell was ecstatic. They'd bought his story and he was getting out of this frigging little box. Continuing to gaze at the men, all he said was, "I'm hungry." 


	22. Part 22

Part Twenty-Two  
  
Airfield  
Memphis NAS  
1500 Local  
  
AJ stepped out onto the tarmac and scowled. He had specifically requested no honors. He rarely had much patience for the trappings of rank and none at all when his people were missing. His bad mood had been exacerbated by the delay in his flight. They had hit a headwind that had slowed them considerably. Yet here was that jackass Crowley and his staff, backed by a color guard and a small group of enlisted standing rigidly at attention. He settled his cover a little more firmly and reined in his temper. For the good of the service, he would refrain from pinning the Admiral's ears back right here and now. He glanced back at Gunny Walters standing quietly behind him, "Let's get this over with."  
  
Arthur Crowley watched as Chegwidden exited the plane trailed by a large Gunnery Sergeant. While he waited for the Admiral to approach, he once more berated himself for letting Capt. Koslov have a week of personal leave. Family emergencies happened all the time, having the Judge Advocate General himself visit the base did not. He had the reporters and a photographer for the post newspaper here, now he wondered if he should have tried for some outside coverage. Hopefully, all the arrangements for the dinner at the O Club had been made. It was awfully short notice and he wasn't sure his aide-de-camp was up to the challenge. Young people these days were hardly reliable, he always had Eric double-check his aide's work.   
  
He straightened up a little more as Chegwidden began walking towards the group. Crowley didn't particularly like him and thought it patently unfair that the younger man had his two stars. Once again, evidence of line officers taking care of their own, even one that had been deskbound for years. Being a former SEAL shouldn't count for more when promotions were being handed out. ... Well, they got what they paid for - Crowley heard of the frequent clashes with the SecNav. No wonder Chegwidden's officers were unruly and practically insubordinate. He had quite a few things to say to the JAG, respectfully, of course, about the disruptive antics of those officers. He told himself to hold on to his temper, Chegwidden couldn't possibly understand the intricacies of running a base. He'd be patient and after subtly straightening the man out, he might even go so far as to play Dutch uncle and let him know how inappropriate it was to keep that woman as Chief of Staff. But, for now and for the good of the service, he'd smile and welcome Chegwidden to the base. Hopefully, the photographer was halfway competent.  
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
1455 Local  
  
Harm did his best to see what he could in the militia camp. It wasn't easy, these morons would hit him whenever they thought he was moving around too much. They also liked to hit him when he wasn't. Between them and his headache, he was lucky to see anything at all. Thank god none of them had been bright enough to think to look for Mac. Apparently, the adrenaline rush of the chase and subsequent capture had crowded out any other consideration. By the time someone with a modicum of sense thought to send them back out, Perez and Mac would be long gone. He hoped. Surely, the captain wouldn't let Mac pull rank or otherwise bully him into attempting a rescue. Harm ruthlessly quashed the little voice that kept pointing out the Marine creed of never leaving their own behind.  
  
The procession stopped in front of a slightly larger metal-sided building that sported a 'Headquarters' sign. The men spilled out of the jeeps and the babble of voices filled the air. Several pairs of hands hauled Harm out of his seat and propelled him to the front of the group milling around the entrance. Lt. Singer arrived at almost the same time, looking as harried as he felt. "Are you all right, Lieutenant?" he asked and received a clout between the shoulder blades that made him stagger forward.  
  
"That's quite enough, gentlemen." A rich baritone cut through the noise. Harm and Singer looked up as the men around them quieted. A tall, thin man wearing black fatigues stood on the steps in front of the open entryway. "Our guests will have a jaundiced view of Southern hospitality." He smiled at the laughter of the men. "Well done, I knew I could count on you. Now get on back to your barracks for some well-deserved rest. The cold beer's waiting." He glanced over his shoulder into the building. "Harper. Preston. Come escort these two to the interrogation room." Two large, heavyset men came out and wordlessly hauled the two officers into the building.  
  
Marched down a narrow hallway, they were pushed into a bare, featureless room. The two men positioned themselves silently on either side of the door. Ten minutes later, it opened to admit the black-clad man followed by another man carrying a chair. He sat it down and left. The tall man settled down and crossed his legs, "I'm Rev. Trask. I suppose you realize you've made some people very unhappy?" He appeared pleased at the thought and looked at Harm, "Who are you?"  
  
Harm looked at him for a moment and then shrugged, it really didn't matter. "Commander Harmon Rabb, of the Judge Advocate General's office in Washington, DC."  
  
At the mention of DC, Trask leaned abruptly forward, "You're from Washington? Both of you?" He shot a triumphant look over his shoulder at his two guards. "So, tell me the real reason you're here." He was staring at them intently.  
  
With difficulty, Harm concealed his surprise and chanced a quick glance at Singer. She was staring at the Reverend like he'd grown an extra head. He made a show of looking around the room and said carefully, "How much do you know?"  
  
Trask started to answer when the door banged open. A dark-haired, middle-aged man stomped into the room, "Goddammit Trask! For once in your life, try to stay focused!" He turned his glare to Harm, "Where the hell is MacKenzie?"  
  
Harm stared at the man. He noted the look of disdain and anger that flashed across Trask's face and heard Singer gasp. He glanced back at her. Who was this guy? Abruptly his legs went out from under him and he crashed heavily to the floor. He lay there wheezing and then looked up at the man now standing over him. "Who the hell are you?"  
  
"Wrong answer, Commander," the man hauled back and kicked him hard in the side. He turned to the two guards and gestured curtly. They looked at Trask who gave a barely perceptible nod and then came forward, hauling Harm to his feet. The slight delay seemed to further infuriate the man. He jabbed Harm in the chest, "Where is MacKenzie?"  
  
Harm gave him a lop-sided smile, "Halfway to the State Police, you son of a bitch. You'll never catch up with her now." He saw the fist coming and tried to relax and roll with it. He was only partially successful as the blow literally made him see stars. The fist to his midsection doubled him over and another shot to the head made his ears ring. Vaguely, he heard someone yelling stop. Singer? The beating ceased and he sagged for a moment between the two men. He tried to focus his attention, the Lieutenant was still yelling... at him? That couldn't be right... he concentrated harder. Singer was standing to the side of him.  
  
"Dammit Commander, just stop it and tell them! What difference does it make?!"  
  
He looked at her fuzzily, what the hell? "Lieutenant... "  
  
"Oh for godsakes," she looked at the man. "Colonel MacKenzie is dead. Cmdr. Rabb made contact with some trucker on his CB and told him to send the State Police. Tried anyway, the stupid hick thought it was his buddies playing a practical joke. Now he's trying to get you to waste time searching until the troopers can get here. If they do."  
  
Harm looked at her in disbelief, "Shut up, Lieutenant. That's an order!"  
  
Singer looked at him with contempt. "No. We could have gotten away but you had to sit with her until she died. She knew she was dying, hell, she was unconscious most of the time at the end. We wasted hours!"  
  
Harm struggled against the two men, "Damn you! Shut up!"  
  
"Or you'll do what? Court-martial me?" sarcasm dripped in her voice. "You've killed us, you self-righteous son of a bitch. It doesn't really matter who pulls the trigger - this is your fault. And if I'm going to die from your misplaced loyalty and monumentally stupid sense of duty, I will damn well have my say." She turned to the bemused man standing in front of her. "Captain Koslov? Is there anything else you'd like to know?"  
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
1455 Local  
  
Tink rested on his shovel and dully watched the line of jeeps go by. At least, he hoped he looked dull. He'd been hard-pressed to keep his face blank when he saw Cmdr. Rabb and Lt. Singer. He glanced at the two men sitting in the shade about ten yards away. Their idea of 'training' was to saddle him with any manual labor they could find. Right now, he was digging a new latrine. He went back to shoveling. Hopefully, the absence of Capt. Perez and Col. MacKenzie meant they had escaped. Now he'd just have to figure a way to get the Commander and the Lieutenant out. He snorted to himself 'yeah, right' and then vigorously rubbed at his nose when his two watchdogs looked at him. "Bug," he said and bent back down to his task.   
  
Ten minutes later, he clambered out of the ditch and headed to a waterbag hanging from a nearby tree. He alternated pouring water down his throat and over his head. He nearly choked when he heard a low-pitched 'pssst' coming from the ground behind the tree. Casually, he shifted to the side. A moment later, he was staring at Tyler's grimy face. The ensign looked like he'd been bathing in dirt, it was damn good camouflage. He gave Tink a thumbs-up and mouthed 'Later' at him. Tink gave a minute nod, turned around and ambled back to the ditch. He picked up his shovel and walked over to the men, "I'm done."  
  
Tyler watched the three men leave. At first, he'd thought Tink was a prisoner, but then he realized that neither of the two men were armed. He figured that Bell had sold them on his wandering moron routine and actually gotten recruited. That had decided him on taking the chance to get Tink's attention. It had taken him forty-five minutes to work his way to the tree but it was worth it. Now that Bell knew he was around, they'd figure out a way to make contact. He had a feeling Admiral Chegwidden wouldn't be pleased with the risk he'd taken; maybe he could gloss over the circumstances. He cautiously began his retreat.  
  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
1635 Local  
  
Perez looked over at the woman beside him. She was flat on her back with her eyes closed. Her hair was damp with sweat and small rivulets trickled through the grime on her face leaving tracks. He dragged a hand over his day-old beard, he probably didn't look much better. They'd made pretty good progress but the anger and adrenaline that had been carrying her had gone just about as far as it could go. Despite that, he'd been the one who insisted on stopping and resting ten minutes for every half hour of travel. He was pretty sure that left to herself, the Colonel would have crawled to the militia camp. Beyond the anxiety of taking too much time, he had a feeling she was afraid that she wouldn't be able to get up after one of these breaks.  
  
He took stock of their inventory, The juice was gone, he'd made sure the Colonel finished it in hopes of keeping up her energy. They still had a bottle and a half of water left. Food was becoming a distinct problem. Perez knew it was possible to go almost a week without it but that didn't mean it would be an enjoyable experience. He sighed, at some point they'd have to stop long enough for him to scare up something to eat. He glanced back and saw her watching him. "It's time, Captain." Her voice was getting hoarse. He frowned slightly and nodded. He couldn't tell if she was becoming flushed or if it was just the physical strain.  
  
He went over and hauled the Colonel to her feet, bracing himself to take her weight until she got her legs under her. Uncomfortably, he realized that it was taking longer each time and that she was beginning to lean on him a little more. He gave her a smile, "It's probably not too much further, ma'am." She gave him a weary nod in return and they quietly continued their trek. 


	23. Part 23

Part Twenty-Three  
  
Headquarters  
Memphis NAS  
1535 Local  
  
AJ sat across from Admiral Crowley in his office and waited. He'd just endured a welcoming ceremony where he had to inspect the troops and smile through a photo session. Chegwidden thought he'd done well - no one had died. A few had come close, first and foremost was Crowley himself. Gunny Walters had taken to clearing his throat whenever he felt AJ was going to explode. Half the people there probably thought the gunnery sergeant had some fatal lung disease. When they reached Crowley's office, he had handed Walters his cellphone - Tyler should be checking in soon and Chegwidden was curiously loathe to let Crowley know about it. The Gunny had then stationed himself at the office door. The staff didn't look pleased about it; on the other hand, they didn't look displeased. AJ decided the Admiral was not particularly well-liked by those serving under him.  
  
Crowley looked at Chegwidden while he pondered how to approach the problem. It would be a delicate balance, striking just the right tone between taking a firm stand and sympathizing with the embarrassment of having such recalcitrant officers. He'd been worried enough about it that he had even tried to get a hold of Koslov to get his opinion. Unable to reach him (he would have to set Eric down a bit for that), he'd been forced to leave a fairly lengthy voicemail. He noticed AJ's eyebrows begin to come together and decided to start with something innocuous. With a genial smile, he said, "My officers and their wives are looking forward to meeting you tonight at dinner."  
  
AJ stared at the man in surprise, "I beg your pardon?"  
  
Crowley beamed, "The dinner at the O Club in your honor." He arched an eyebrow and said lightly, "We ordinarily have a little more notice." There, a tiny reprimand delivered in friendly manner. He waited a couple of seconds to gauge the JAG's response. Emboldened by Chegwidden's silence, he kept going. Putting on a rueful expression, he said, "I have to tell you AJ, and it pains me to have to say this, but your officers have been nothing but disruptive since they hit this base. I have people calling at all hours complaining about one thing or another that your JAGs have done. They refuse to acknowledge any authority but their own and this attitude is spreading to my people. I have three of my personnel listed as UA. By tomorrow, I'll consider them AWOL and it can be laid directly at the feet of your officers. If I may be specific, I feel most of the blame can be attributed to Colonel MacKenzie. I just want you to know that it was in consideration for you, that I haven't gone ahead and filed charges against her." AJ sat there speechless. Crowley congratulated himself on his tact and delivery. Now for the kindly Dutch uncle...  
  
Crowley leaned forward and smiled conspiratorially, "Look AJ, we're both men here. I understand how it is. MacKenzie is drop-dead gorgeous and I can see how you'd feel obligated to ... ummm ... reward her by making her your Chief of Staff. Brilliant, really - no one would question you two working closely together - but a little discipline wouldn't be amiss. I mean, obviously your people understand the rules, but sending her to other commands is asking for trouble. You don't have to look any further than this base to see how violent these jealous rages can get... "  
  
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" AJ roared, he was out of chair and leaning over the desk. He stood glaring at Crowley, absolutely livid with rage. With an effort, he kept his clenched fists at his side. At last, he turned to look at Walters; the Gunny had entered the office as soon as he heard AJ's voice. "Did you hear all of that, Gunnery Sergeant?"  
  
The look on Gunny's face could have cracked granite, "Yes sir." His eyes never left Crowley. "For some reason, the office door was ajar. Everything was quite clear." He was no less angry than Admiral Chegwidden. If he thought it'd do any good, he'd gladly beat the hell out of Crowley.   
  
"Good, contact the MPs and have two of them report here. Who's second in command?"  
  
"Captain Koslov, sir, but he's on leave. Commander Mathes is next."  
  
"Get him in here." AJ watched the Gunny leave and turned back to look at a thunderstruck Crowley. "You're relieved of command, Admiral. Right now the charges are Conduct Unbecoming, Disrespect toward a Superior Officer and Dereliction of Duty." He leaned in, "And if anything has happened to my officers, you'll also be charged as an accessory."  
  
Crowley began sputtering, "You can't!"  
  
"Watch me." Chegwidden turned as the Gunny returned with Mathes, "I'm removing Admiral Crowley from command and having him confined to quarters. He is to be considered unfit for duty pending psychiatric evaluation. You're in charge, Commander, until we can get this mess straightened out. When the MPs arrive, have them escort the Admiral to his residence and post a guard. I'll be at the JAG offices."  
  
AJ marched out, leaving the two stunned men. Gunny Walters fell in behind and followed him out. Once clear of the building, the Admiral turned and looked at Walters, "Did Tyler check in?" When the Gunny shook his head, AJ looked skyward for a moment in frustration, "Damn. I hope nothing's happened to that young man." He lowered his gaze, "Gunny, get over to the MPs, find whoever's in charge and bring them over to JAG. Oh, and find out if they have some sort of liaison with the FBI. We're probably going to have to coordinate with the Feds on this." AJ glanced back at the Headquarters building, "Goddamned fool."  
  
Vicinity of Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
1610 Local  
  
Tyler checked his watch and swore. He was dead late to check in with the Admiral. It had taken him longer to work his way back to treeline than he thought it would. He always felt safer in the woods. Moving quickly between bits of cover brought back memories of playing 'Commando' and 'Capture the Flag' with his brothers and friends. It was the one thing where he'd been sought after whenever they chose up sides. Although he knew it was much more serious, he couldn't help feeling like he was in some huge game of Hide and Seek. Having contact with Admiral Chegwidden and now Tink had contributed a lot to his self-confidence. Hopefully, Cmdr. Rabb and Capt. Perez had gotten the Colonel and Lieutenant to safety.  
  
Quietly, he worked his way back to his 'headquarters'. He'd spent his morning hours exploring the area outside the perimeter of the camp. The area was crisscrossed by a number of small creeks and streams. He'd found a spring and followed it back into a small ravine. There he'd found a small fold in the hillside. The overhang would shelter and, at the same time, hide him from view. He had also set some snares in likely-looking places; he would check those and gather some of the watercress he found before he settled in for the night. But first... he crawled onto a small brush-covered ledge, it gave him a bit more of a view without making him any easier to see. There seemed to be less militia around, he only dodged one patrol. He pulled out the cellphone and turned it on. Quickly he dialed and returned to scanning the area. Several rings later, he heard, 'Chegwidden.'  
  
"Sir? It's Tyler," he said quietly.  
  
"Thank god, Ensign. Are you all right? You're late."  
  
"Fine sir, I'm sorry. It took a little longer to get to a safer area so I could call."  
  
There was a slight pause and then the Admiral said, "Safer? What exactly have you been doing, Mr. Tyler?"  
  
Tyler winced, 'Oops'. "Ummm, just checking out the area around the camp, sir." That could be interpreted several ways, maybe it would get him off the hook. He heard Chegwidden grunt and decided he'd gotten lucky. Hurriedly, he said, "I saw Cpl. Bell, sir. It looks like he persuaded them to recruit him."  
  
Surprised, AJ said, "How the hell did he manage that so quickly?"  
  
Tyler chuckled softly, "I think he went into his dumber-than-dirt routine and convinced them he just happened to be in the area. They were probably tickled to get him."  
  
"Why?" Chegwidden couldn't see where stupidity was a desirable trait - Crowley was a case in point.  
  
"He's about 6'10" and over 300 lbs. and well... he's a really nice guy, sir, but he could scare the curl right out of pig's tail."  
  
"I see," AJ was looking forward to meeting these two. "All right Ensign, I'm on base and I'm going to get the ball rolling to get all of you out and shut these people down. Have you heard from the Commander or the Colonel?"  
  
"No sir," Tyler hesitated, "That could mean they got away, couldn't it sir?"  
  
"It's possible," Chegwidden said. "Okay, Tyler, I'll talk to you again in two hours. We're going to need information on the layout of the camp." He hung up.  
  
Tyler turned off the phone, and stayed on the ledge for a bit, thinking. He had roughly three hours or so before it became dark. Either he could hole up now and get an early start in the morning or... he could make one more circuit of the camp and get an early start in the morning. He grinned to himself, climbed down and headed east.  
  
Vicinity of Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
1720 Local  
  
Mac and Perez lay at the top of a small rise and peered through the trees at the camp. It appeared to be quiet - probably because it was the dinner hour, Perez thought. That brought him back to the subject of food. "Ma'am?" he said, keeping his voice low, "We need to pull back and find a safe place for the night. And I need to find us some food. We can't keep expending this level of energy without replacing it."  
  
Mac turned her head without raising it off her arm, she was exhausted. "Agreed." As much as she would like to get into the camp tonight, common sense prevailed. A little guilt appeared also. "Captain?" Perez looked at her quizzically. "I'd like to apologize. I didn't give you much choice about coming back here." She paused for moment, "If you want to try getting out and finding help, it's fine with me. You'd probably have a pretty good shot by yourself."  
  
Perez stared at her, "What would you be doing?"  
  
Mac gave him half a smile, "I was thinking of smuggling myself in disguised as a doorstop." Turning a little more serious, "I really don't know yet. See if I can figure out where Harm and Lauren are being held and then go from there."  
  
The captain was shaking his head, "I'll stay here, if you don't mind, Colonel. I'd hate to miss any of the fun."  
  
Mac closed her eyes briefly and then tried again, "Captain... Intellectually speaking, this isn't my finest hour. You're not obligated to take my idiocy and turn it into a team event. I really wish you'd see about getting help."  
  
"Are you ordering me, ma'am?" he asked quietly.  
  
"No." She grinned wryly, "You know what they say: 'Stupidity loves company'."  
  
Perez smiled at her, "All these years, I've been saying that wrong... ." He rolled to his feet and reached back down, "C'mon, ma'am. We need to find a safe place for the night."  
  
"You shoulda found one sooner."  
  
They froze at the unfamiliar voice. Perez cautiously turned his head. A tall, skinny man in a militia uniform stood near a tree halfway down the slope. His rifle was casually pointed in their direction. He smiled unpleasantly and gestured with the rifle barrel, "Lose the pistol - carefully." He waited while Perez tossed it to one side. He looked at Mac who had remained motionless. "You. Get up."  
  
The rifle snapped up to his shoulder when Perez started towards Mac. "Don't move. Don't even breathe."  
  
The captain looked at militia man angrily, "She's injured. She can't stand up on her own."  
  
The rifle shifted to Mac, "Then maybe I should just put her outta her misery." 


	24. Part 24

Part Twenty-Four  
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
1630 Local  
  
Harm sat against the wall, knees drawn up and his head resting on his arms; looking, he hoped, like the picture of dejection. It wasn't too far off, he was feeling a little depressed. He'd been moved to another, smaller room, also devoid of furniture except for one chair. It was currently occupied by one of Trask's gorillas. At least they had finally untied his hands. He worried about Singer, they'd been separated after that disturbing yet bravura performance. It had been a brilliant move and she had played it beautifully. Harm shifted a little, uncomfortably. The Lieutenant had pegged his probable behavior if Mac had died pretty damn accurately. The jolt he had felt at hearing the words had lent credence to both their performances. He hoped to hell Perez had gotten Mac out.  
  
At the moment, all he could do was wait. Koslov was going to kill him, the man couldn't afford to let him live. He'd probably kill the Lieutenant too. Harm sighed, it was a helluva thing to hope for; but the alternatives for Lauren were worse. Koslov could just toss her to the militia. Slowly, he raised his head and surveyed the room. Goddammit, there had to be a way out of this. Trask's man watched him dispassionately. Trask. It was pretty evident the two men didn't like each other. He remembered how the two guards had silently checked with the Reverend before obeying Koslov - maybe the militia didn't like Koslov either. Harm thought the Rev. Trask also had a few bolts loose, but perhaps his obsession with conspiracies could be used somehow. Provided he got the chance to talk to the man again. The door opened just then, causing the gorilla to come to his feet. When Lt. Singer and Koslov walked in, Harm did his best to look sullen and not surprised.   
  
Koslov looked down at him and smiled, "Well, Commander, Lauren and I have been having a most interesting chat. She's been telling me all about what you and the late Colonel MacKenzie have uncovered about my little computer operation." He casually glanced at Singer as he spoke.  
  
Harm stared at Koslov and then looked over at the Lieutenant. She seemed tense although her face was completely expressionless. On the other hand, there was definitely something a little off about Koslov. There seemed to be a slight air of... curiosity? anticipation? Hoping he wasn't interpreting everything wrong, Harm gave a short, bitter laugh, "Well, I hope it was interesting because it certainly wasn't true. Neither the Colonel nor myself thought Lt. Singer had the need-to-know about that part of the case." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lauren almost imperceptibly relax. He gazed at the Captain, "I have a question, if you don't mind."  
  
Koslov waved a hand. The Naval Commander was a dead man, the least he could do would be to answer a question or two.  
  
"Are you part of 'Archangel'?"  
  
Koslov smiled again, "I like to think of myself as more of a graduate. Charlie Jacobs created this brilliant set-up and then wasted it. All I had to do was recruit a few more like-minded people and make a few adjustments."  
  
Harm glared at Singer, "Is that what's going on now Lieutenant? You still looking out for Number One?"  
  
Lauren shrugged, "I prefer to be on the winning side." She smiled, "My miraculous escape - made possible by your gallant sacrifice, by the way - will be quite a boost to my career at JAG. With MacKenzie out of the way, it should be easier to get closer to the Admiral."   
  
"You're a goddamn disgrace!" Harm spat out.  
  
"But I'll be a live one," Singer returned calmly. She looked over at Koslov who had been watching the exchange with amusement. "Aren't we done here?"  
  
"Yes, I believe so." Koslov gestured for her to precede him. "If you'll excuse us, Commander?"  
  
Harm watched sourly as they left. He looked at the guard still standing against the wall, "I hope your boss knows what he's doing. That guy isn't who he says he is." He dropped his head back down with a certain amount of satisfaction at the look of alarm that had flashed across the man's face. Maybe he'd see the good Reverend after all.  
  
JAG Office  
Memphis NAS  
1710 Local  
  
AJ stared at the FBI agent, "What do you mean, you can't do anything?"  
  
Special Agent Ramos sighed, "I wish we could. Hell, you're a lawyer, you can see for yourself. We have no legal reason to raid that militia camp."  
  
"Receiving stolen government property isn't enough reason for you?"  
  
"We don't know that. According to the official records, nothing is missing. We can't even prove that anything was transported from here. All trucks in the motorpool were accounted for last night. The base MPs confirmed that." The agent looked over at the lieutenant standing near the door. "Correct?"  
  
Lt. Grafton nodded, "The vehicles were all there and none of the gate logs show any trucks leaving the base after 1930 yesterday. Gate 6 did show Cpl. Bell and Ensign Tyler leaving a little before 0100 this morning."  
  
"Then the gate logs have been falsified. Tyler and Bell followed those trucks from here to that militia camp. That should be enough!" Chegwidden was getting extremely exasperated.  
  
Ramos shook his head, "They didn't see the trucks actually leaving the base. Capt. Perez told them to go to Gate Four but there's no way to prove that the trucks they were following were from this base. That's the warehouse district, those vehicles could have come from anywhere and been carrying perfectly legitimate cargo. Unless we can get some eyewitness accounts from Capt. Perez or your JAG officers, we just don't have a case."  
  
"Which you won't get because my people and Capt. Perez are on the run from that militia!" AJ's voice was steadily growing in volume.  
  
The agent winced, "So you believe. No one has actually seen or talked to any of them since they disappeared from this base. We have no basis for a warrant." The agent threw up his hands in frustration, "Honest to God, Admiral, if it were up to me, I'd be going through there like the wrath of God. But with all the criticism from the media about everything from Waco to why we didn't stop 9/11, my superiors are not going to seen harassing loyal American citizens without a hell of a lot more proof." He gestured to the files on the conference table, "I can take all this and start our own investigation. Maybe we can pull enough pieces together to pursue this."  
  
"And in the meantime, my officers are on their own," AJ said in disgust. "Goddammit!" He paced angrily back and forth alongside the table before stopping and looking at Gunny Walters, "Gunny, how would you feel about going fishing?" Walters gave him a grim smile and nodded.  
  
"Admiral?" SA Ramos asked cautiously, he wasn't sure he liked this abrupt change.  
  
AJ gestured at the map they'd found with the circles drawn on it. "Holly Springs National Forest is known for its sport fishing. I think the Gunny and I deserve a little vacation."  
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
1655 Local  
  
Tink sat on his bunk and watched the rest of the men in the barracks. The mood was rapidly becoming more festive as the level of beer in the ice-filled tub decreased. He sat nursing his single beer and wondered when the brawl would begin. Someone would start something, he was pretty sure. These guys probably enjoyed beating the hell out of each other. Maybe the officer who provided the beer thought it was the best way to have them blow off steam. Tink scowled slightly, he had a hard time thinking of any of these yahoos as an officer. For him, officers were Perez and Rabb and MacKenzie, and even Tyler, young as he was. That brought him to his next problem, how the hell was he going to get the JAG officers out? Maybe he could coordinate something with Tyler.  
  
Liston nudged his friend and pointed at the new guy they were supposed to train, "No more beer for Tinker, he looks like a mean drunk. He'd wreck this place."  
  
Thomason grinned while taking another pull of his beer, "He looks mean all the time." He looked at Liston, "You don't want him to have any more beer, then you tell him. I'll just sit back here and watch."  
  
Before Liston could retort, their attention was drawn to the barracks entry. Lt. Humphrey was trying to get everyone to listen to him. A pale, skinny, weasel-faced man - his name had been the source of a constant stream of wit. Hardly any of the rank and file liked the Lieutenant and the feeling was mutual. At first, everyone ignored his attempts just to watch him get steamed, but eventually curiosity got the better of them and they began to quiet down. Tink watched the byplay contemptuously. Given half a chance, he'd straighten out this undisciplined rabble, even if he had to kill one or two.  
  
Humphrey cleared his throat importantly, "As you know, we managed to recapture one of the prisoners and the man that freed her this afternoon." He flushed when someone yelled, "We do know. We were there." Scowling, he waited for the laughter to subside, "Well, I just want to let you know there'll be no search this evening." He waited expectantly for the inevitable question. The noise level waxed and waned as the men murmured to one another and then looked back at him. Finally, Liston called, "Oh hell Hump, just tell us the rest. The beer's getting warm."  
  
Looking displeased, Humphrey said, "The other escapee is dead. We'll be sending someone out in the morning to recover the body, providing they can find it."  
  
Tink sat silently, feeling shocked. What the hell had happened? Now he was going to have to tell Pick. 'Damn, Damn, Damn!'  
  
Vicinity of Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
1735 Local  
  
The rifle flicked back to Perez as he started to take an angry stride towards the militia man. "Captain!" Mac hissed urgently, "Stand down!" She struggled to her knees and stayed there, swaying unsteadily while she waited for the landscape to settle down.  
  
The militia man grinned, "That's better." He looked at Perez, "You, get down on your knees too, and lace your fingers behind your head." He waited until the captain had complied and then walked up the hill. He stopped just in front of the two. "This is kind of an interesting problem." He gestured at Mac, "Word is, you're supposed to be dead." He looked at Perez, "And you don't even exist. So I really don't have to turn either of you in... alive anyway." He let his gaze wander over to Mac, "Interested in a little fun?" He winked at her, "Not that it matters."  
  
"You.. " Perez began angrily. The militia man spun, swinging his rifle and catching Perez on the side of his head. The captain dropped like a stone. The man looked back and grinned at Mac, "You know... three was a crowd." He slung his rifle over his shoulder and pulled out a large hunting knife. Making a show of testing its edge, he gestured towards the distant camp. "We wouldn't want to attract too much attention, would we?" Mac stared at him, 'Not again... '. Then the man reached over and grabbed a fistful of Perez's shirt and pulled him partially upright. Her eyes widened in surprise as she saw the knifehand draw back and she realized what he was about to do.   
  
Mac reacted without thinking, launching herself at the militia man. She crashed into his legs, taking him down practically on top of a groggy Perez. Grabbing the hand with the knife, Mac doggedly hung on as everything began to blur and spin alarmingly. Soon all three were entangled in a desperate struggle across the forest floor.  
  
Gradually, Mac became aware she was on her back, the blood was roaring in her ears blocking out other sounds and she couldn't see. Suddenly frantic, she realized a hand was touching the side of her face. 'Not again!' Her good hand shot upward, making contact with the body above her and then latching on with a deathgrip. She felt two hands wrap around her wrist, trying to loosen her hold. The voices were faint at first and then grew louder and more insistent.  
  
"Colonel! Stop it! Let go!" The grayness that seemed to be obscuring her eyesight lessened. Mac was astonished to see a blurry and red-faced Ensign Tyler. She had her hand on his throat. Perez swam into view, it was one of his hands on her wrist. She let go and closed her eyes. 


	25. Part 25

Part Twenty-Five  
  
Vicinity of Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
1755 Local  
  
Wheezing, Tyler sat down with a thump, one hand massaging his neck. He stared wide-eyed at Perez who shrugged sympathetically and turned back to finish tying up the militia man. For good measure, the captain gagged and blindfolded him, too. Wrapped up in the melee, the man had never seen Tyler approach. He didn't know what hit him and Perez intended to keep it that way. Finishing, he grabbed the man by the back of the jacket and began dragging him down the hill. Tyler watched for a moment, then scrambled to his feet to give the captain a hand. They rolled him under a thick growth of briars at the bottom of the slope and kicked some leaves over him. He would be difficult but not impossible to spot.  
  
Dusting off his hands, Perez looked over at Tyler and grinned, "You're a sight for sore eyes, Ensign. Where's Cpl. Bell?"  
  
"He's okay, sir, but it's a long story," Tyler glanced around a little nervously. "Umm, sir? We need to move, this isn't a safe area to hang around."  
  
"You don't say... " Perez said dryly. He glanced at Tyler as they hurried back up the hill, "Is there a safe place?"  
  
"Pretty safe, sir," Tyler replied. "It's probably going to take over an hour to get there," he added apologetically.  
  
Perez waved a hand dismissively, "So long as it's safe, Tyler." He noticed that the ensign kept up a continuous scan of their surroundings. When they reached Mac, Tyler stopped abruptly and looked at Perez. The captain stifled a smile; after his last reception, Tyler was understandably nervous. Perez had been a little surprised himself, the Colonel's survival instincts were obviously well developed. He knelt down near her, it looked like she was coming around. The captain looked up when he heard Tyler clear his throat.  
  
"Sir? Begging your pardon, but what in the sam hill happened to you two?"  
  
Perez looked at Tyler for a moment and opened his mouth. Another voice beat him to it, "What didn't?"  
  
The captain looked down to see Mac gazing tiredly at them both. "Good to have you back, ma'am."  
  
She shifted a bit and groaned softly, "Says you... " She squinted at Tyler, "That was you, wasn't it?" He nodded wordlessly. "I'm sorry, Pick. That wasn't much of a thank you."  
  
Tyler gave her a quick smile, he was looking increasingly nervous. "Ma'am, sir, we have to get moving. Now."  
  
Perez looked at Mac, "Can you walk?" Despite the normal tone she was trying for, he could see the strain on her face.  
  
"I'm barely managing to lie here," she closed her eyes and sighed. "Help me up, please."  
  
He carefully hauled her to her feet. She wavered for a couple of seconds and then eyed Perez, "I'll make you a deal, Captain. You keep me upright and I'll keep my feet moving... just don't expect any sparkling conversations."  
  
Perez gave her a half smile, "Deal, Colonel." He looked at Tyler, "Let's go, Ensign." The three headed off through the woods.  
  
When they finally reached Tyler's camp, Perez decided it had been the longest hour and whatever minutes of his life. He was past tired and well into numb. He'd kept the Colonel upright - barely, and she'd kept moving - barely. Only Tyler seemed unaffected even though he had probably covered twice the distance from scouting ahead and checking behind. That much energy was patently unfair, Perez thought. He tried to focus when Tyler appeared in front of him.  
  
"Just a little farther, sir, ma'am," Tyler said encouragingly. "Then you can rest while I see about dinner."  
  
Perez managed a nod, moments later they arrived at the overhang. Tyler had gathered together what materials he could for bedding. The men lowered the Colonel carefully down and then Perez dropped down beside her. The two were almost instantly asleep. Tyler watched them for a moment and then left to check his snares. Hopefully, there'd be something for dinner and then he needed to call Chegwidden.  
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
1800 Local  
  
Harm turned and looked when he heard the door open. He'd gotten tired of sitting and had taken to pacing back and forth. The latest gorilla didn't seem to mind so long as he stayed away from the door. The guard got to his feet when Rev. Trask walked in. Trask looked at Harm for a long minute and then said, "Would you care to join me for dinner, Commander?"  
  
Harm inclined his head, for all the world like an honored guest and not a condemned prisoner. "It would be my pleasure, Reverend."  
  
Trask gestured towards the door and the Commander walked out. Two more guards were waiting in the hallway. Harm turned and waited as the Reverend and the first guard came out to join them. Trask smiled and waved a hand down the hallway, "After you, Mr. Rabb."   
  
They came to a small dining area, the table had been set for two. Harm turned and raised an eyebrow, "Your men don't get to eat?"  
  
Trask arched an eyebrow in return, "I prefer that they not be distracted. They'll eat when they go off-duty. Please have a seat, Commander."  
  
As soon as they sat down, a pair of orderlies appeared and started filling the table with food. After they finished and withdrew, the Reverend bent his head in prayer. Harm followed suit. After he was done, Trask raised his head and smiled politely, "Would you care for some wine?"  
  
"Thank you," Harm extended his glass and watched while the Reverend filled it. This whole scenario seemed absurd. Koslov was going to kill him and Trask was playing the part of gracious Southern host. He refused to consider this his last meal. Sipping the wine, he said, "Is there something I can do for you, Reverend?"  
  
Trask chuckled, the Commander was a cool one. Anyone listening to the conversation would have a hard time deciding which of them was the prisoner. "Yes there is, Commander, but it will keep until after we're done. Mixing business with eating always troubles my digestion. I hope you won't find it too inconvenient to wait?"  
  
Harm waved a hand dismissively, "Not at all. It would be a shame to ruin the meal."   
  
They smiled at each other and began to eat. Thirty minutes later, Trask picked up his wineglass and leaned back from the table. Harm leaned back as well. He did his best to appear relaxed and nonchalant, inside, he didn't think he could be wound tighter. The impending conversation would mean life or death, not just for him but for Singer also. He would be treading a very fine line trying to play up the conspiracy angles without treating the Reverend like he was some sort of lunatic. Paranoia didn't mean stupid.  
  
Trask absently tapped a finger on his glass. How to begin... He figured the Commander would be hoping for some sort of quid pro quo - no doubt he wished to keep from dying. Not that Trask objected to that, it was certainly within his powers and it would enrage Koslov. It just wouldn't be the smartest thing to do. Having the two JAG officers here was like reaching into a beehive, was the reward worth the risk? How would he know if Commander Rabb was telling the truth with whatever story he told about Koslov? And would he really care? Trask hated that boorish, arrogant Yankee to the point where it was difficult to keep a civil tongue in his head. It was affecting his judgment and that was something he couldn't abide. Perhaps he could find some way to remove Koslov and still keep the pipeline open.   
  
Trask stared silently at Rabb, he seemed like a clever fellow. Dangerous too, of course, but perhaps he could be maneuvered into assisting the militia. Possibly in exchange for the Lieutenant's well-being? He couldn't be sure, the Commander and the Lieutenant had certainly been at odds with one another... if only Colonel MacKenzie hadn't died. Now that had been damned inconvenient. He sighed, doubtless, Koslov's men were just as heavy-handed as their boss. Trask took another sip of wine and gazed at Harm, "Tell me about Koslov."  
  
Near Bethel  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest  
1925 Local  
  
Liston nudged Thomason and pointed up the road at the approaching SUV. After Liston's less than respectful remark, they'd found themselves on guard duty at the post that was the furthest and most inconvenient to get to. The two of them turned and looked at Tinker in the backseat, he stared back impassively. "Well don't just sit there, boy, get out and stop them," Thomason snapped.  
  
"With what?" Tink rumbled, they had yet to trust him with any type of firearm.  
  
Liston rolled his eyes and glanced at Thomason, "Oh for chrissakes, just stand there. If they hit you, it'll wreck their car. Either way, they'll stop."   
  
Tink glared at the two and climbed out of the jeep. Standing in the road, he held up his hand. The SUV glided to a halt and sat there. For about a minute, no one moved. At last, the driver opened his door and got out. As he walked towards Tink, the passenger side opened and another man got out and followed him. Tink watched the two men approach wordlessly. The driver was tall and balding. Although he was older, it was apparent he kept himself in shape. The other man was larger and barrel-chested. He wore his hair tightly cropped and looked like he knew how to handle trouble. Maybe he was a bodyguard.   
  
AJ slowly walked up to the huge man blocking the road. He was aware that Gunny Walters was just behind and to the side, for which he was profoundly grateful. If trouble started, it would take both of them to handle this guy... and probably some sort of air strike to boot. He stopped in front of Gargantua and said mildly, "You're in my way."  
  
The mountain gazed down at him, "This is private land, no trespassing."   
  
AJ adopted a confused tone, "I thought this was the Holly Springs National Forest. I have a campsite reserved for fishing." He glanced back at Walters, "Isn't that right, Dubby?" Walters nodded silently, his eyes on the two men now approaching. Both had rifles casually cradled in their arms.  
  
"Is there a problem?" The taller of the two men asked.  
  
"No."   
  
"Yes." AJ gazed upward and tried not to flinch. The mountain was looking ominous. Walters had gone dangerously still. At that moment, AJ's cellphone chose to ring. Everyone jumped, Chegwidden briefly closed his eyes - timing was everything. Pointedly ignoring the rifles that were now aimed at him, he dug into his pocket. He glared at the Gunny as he pulled out the phone, "Goddammit, didn't you tell them I was on vacation? This better not be that jackass in marketing." He turned slightly away as he answered the phone, "Hello?"  
  
Tyler looked at the phone for a moment and then put it back to his ear, "Admiral Chegwidden?"  
  
"Yeah, this is AJ. That you Tyler?"  
  
"Yes sir," Tyler said hesitantly, what the hell was going on?  
  
"Well you better have a helluva good reason for calling me on the first day of my vacation." AJ gazed skyward for a moment, 'C'mon Tyler - figure it out, make your report and get off the phone.'  
  
"Uhhh... yes sir... Sir, I ran into Colonel MacKenzie and Captain Perez while I was making a last circuit of the militia camp. I brought them back to my campsite." The admiral was on vacation? Tyler's eyes widened suddenly, did that mean... ?"  
  
"You What?!?" AJ looked around quickly. The pair of militia men were unabashedly listening, the big man had an expression he couldn't read and Walters was looking worried. "All right, Tyler. Do you want me to talk to them?" Damn! What were Mac and Perez doing back at the militia base? Where the hell was Rabb and Singer? Unless ... Oh damn...  
  
Tyler glanced back up the ravine, "They're both asleep right now, sir. The trip here was kinda rough, especially after that fight with the militia guy."  
  
With difficulty, AJ kept his voice level, "I see." Inwardly he cringed, that young man was going to be the death of him. "Are you going to need help to deal with the situation?"  
  
Tyler hesitated, "Probably, sir. Somewhere along the line, the Colonel was injured." He absently rubbed at his neck.  
  
Son of a bitch. With a calm he was far from feeling AJ said, "How bad is it?"  
  
"I really don't know for sure, sir. She's hurt her shoulder, she's not using the arm on that side at all. And she needed help walking, but that's all I've seen. Capt. Perez would be able to tell you more, except he's asleep right now."  
  
"Okay Tyler, let me get to my campsite and then we'll see if we can straighten all this out." He looked at his watch, "I'll call you in an hour." AJ ended the call and looked at Walters, "Next time, Dubby, I'm leaving the cellphone home." He looked at the militia men and smiled, "Sorry, gentlemen. My junior executives sometimes get over-excited. Where were we?" 


	26. Part 26

Part Twenty-Six  
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
1840 Local  
  
Harm looked at Trask for a moment, "It might save time if you'll tell me what you know about Koslov. I'm pretty sure I know what his game is but you're an astute man, I'd like to know what you've figured out. I should be able to confirm or deny your suspicions." He steepled his fingers, "And, of course, we need to discuss price."  
  
Trask stared and then, shaking a finger at him, laughed, "I knew you were a clever man, Commander, the moment I laid eyes on you." He rubbed his chin and continued to chuckle softly, "I suppose we should discuss price first. I assume you would prefer not to die?"  
  
Harm smiled slightly, "Don't we all? ... And I'd like you to release Lt. Singer."   
  
Trask narrowed his gaze, "I'm sure you're aware of how foolhardy a request that is, Mr. Rabb. The government, in its infinite wisdom, thinks of this militia as a sort of southern men's club. We're just a bunch of illiterate rednecks pretending to be soldiers so we can gather to talk about guns and drink beer. I have no intention of disabusing them of that notion."  
  
Harm was annoyed with himself. He'd actually done what Jeff Foxworthy had meant as a joke, automatically dropped the Reverend's IQ 100 points because of the southern accent. He began to suspect this man was smarter than Koslov and infinitely more dangerous. At the same time, he could feel the adrenalin start to kick in. This could have all the aspects of a dogfight... minus the fun flying stuff. "Releasing the Lieutenant won't change that."   
  
The Reverend just raised his eyebrows in silent invitation.  
  
With an easy smile, Harm said, "The Lieutenant won't go to the authorities because the only one who'd get hurt would be her. And I can assure you, her survival instinct is too finely honed to allow that."  
  
Trask drummed his fingers on the table, "You're asking me to believe that after kidnapping Lt. Singer and the unfortunate Col. MacKenzie and capturing yourself, that it would be the Lieutenant in trouble with the authoritiies? I'm not sure if I should be laughing or insulted."  
  
"Ahhh, but technically, it was Koslov who engineered the kidnapping." Harm's expression hardened and he said softly, "And I owe him for Colonel MacKenzie." On this one point, Harm wasn't acting. He owed that son of a bitch for every ache and pain Mac had gone through.   
  
The Reverend watched the ice form in the Commander's eyes and suppressed an involuntary shiver. He'd do well to remember that Rabb could be a deadly adversary. "Go on," he said calmly.  
  
Harm forcibly dragged himself back to the matter at hand. He looked at Trask, "It could be argued, sir, that your militia rescued us from Koslov's men and kept us here in order to protect us. Still are protecting us, for that matter, while we continue our investigation into Captain Koslov and his treasonous activities. Should Lt. Singer prove difficult, I can contradict her on every point and bring up her collaboration with the Captain before you rescued us. She'd wind up in Leavenworth and she knows it. I don't think she'll be a problem."  
  
Trask stared up at the ceiling while he thought everything over. What the Commander was suggesting was certainly plausible. It would take the militia off the hook and lay the blame squarely at Koslov's feet. That in itself was attractive. Rabb needn't know the extent of his plans for the militia, Koslov or the JAG officers. He lowered his gaze, "We have a deal."  
  
Near Bethel  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest  
1940 Local  
  
Liston glared at the older man, " 'Where we are' is you and your... boy getting back in your overpriced yuppie mobile and getting the hell out of here." He hated these rich corporate types. Damn worthless at anything except shafting the little guys and raking in the dough. Just once, he'd like to drop one of these guys in the middle of nowhere and watch them panic. He stopped suddenly and thought about it for a moment ... why not? Why the hell not? Slowly he began to grin as he brought his rifle to bear on the two men once again.  
  
"Budge?" Thomason said nervously. He didn't like it when Liston got this way. Inevitably, there'd be hell to pay, one way or another. "What's got into you?"  
  
"Relax Del," Liston said. "I've been feeling sorry for Mr. Corporate Bigshot here. And I think I know just the thing to make his day."  
  
AJ and Walters stood perfectly still watching the rifle swing back and forth between them. They were both too far away to make a try for it. All they could do was wait. AJ swore under his breath, of all the times to run into some nutcase. He scowled at the militia men, "What the hell is going on?"  
  
Liston's grin faded, "Watch your mouth, old man, or I just might shove this gun barrel down it." He heard Tinker shift behind him, "Relax, Tinker. I'm not planning on killing them. Just the opposite, I'm gonna give 'em what they want: a couple of days getting away from it all. Don't that sound nice, Mr. Bigshot?"  
  
"What are you talking about, Budge?" Thomason stared at his friend. "We're gonna get in trouble."  
  
"Us? Why would we get in trouble just 'cos some city boys snuck past us and got lost?" He looked at Del, "Get the rope outta the jeep." Liston looked back, "Empty your pockets. We wouldn't want any contraband going along. Tinker, go collect the stuff, make sure they haven't forgotten anything."  
  
AJ's eyes narrowed when he heard the big man's name. Could this be Tyler's Corporal Bell?  
  
Tink ambled forward, he still wasn't sure who these two were. Hearing Tyler's name during the phone conversation had made him hope that they were here to help. Of course, it was about to become moot, and all because Liston had got a wild hair. He reached the older man first. When Tink heard him murmur, 'Corporal Bell?' he froze for a split second. Then he continued to pat AJ down, took his wallet and cellphone and moved over to Walters. Repeating the procedure, he turned around and looked at Liston, "This one's got a pocketknife."   
  
Liston smiled, "I'm feeling generous today, he can keep the knife. Get rid of the phone." As he started to look over to Del, Tink drew back and threw the cellphone and the wallets as far as he could into the woods. Liston whirled back, "You Idiot! What did you do that for?!"  
  
Tink looked at him blankly, "You said get rid of it."  
  
"The cellphone, you stupid lump! Not the wallets!" He looked upward in frustration, "Why the hell did I ever get saddled with someone like you?"  
  
Tink hung his head, decided scuffling his feet would be overplaying it, and said morosely, "I'm sorry."  
  
Liston sighed, the big jerk had no more brains than a rock, "Never mind, get the rope from Del and tie their hands. It only has to hold for an hour or so. Oh, and find something to blindfold them." He grinned at AJ and Walters, "No fair peeking on the way to your new location."  
  
After their hands were tied, Liston herded them over to the jeep, "Get in. One in front, one in back." When they were sitting, he looked at Del, "Go ahead and blindfold them." Glancing at Tink, he said, "Wait here and keep an eye on things 'til we get back. Can you do that?"  
  
Tink looked unhappy, "Can't I come along?"  
  
"Sorry, no room on this trip. You'll be fine, just wait." Liston nodded to Del, "Let's go."  
  
Tink watched them leave and swore quietly to himself. Then he went over to the SUV to make sure there was no evidence of their real identities. If Liston found out they were military, he'd go back and kill them.  
  
Vicinity of Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
2005 Local  
  
Perez slowly opened his eyes and carefully took in his surroundings. For the life of him, he couldn't quite remember where he was. Then he saw Tyler hunched over a small campfire and the memories came flooding back. Raising himself to his elbows, he stifled a moan - he couldn't remember the last time he'd been this stiff and sore. He glanced over at the Colonel and then pushed himself more upright for a closer look. Damn, she was still out of it, but he couldn't tell if she was sleeping or unconscious. Cautiously, he reached out to put a hand on her forehead. If she was just sleeping, he might get the same reaction that Tyler had gotten. A couple moments later, he swore softly. She was hot enough to fry an egg. He looked over to see Tyler watching him. "Ensign, you wouldn't happen to have a flashlight and maybe a first aid kit handy, would you?"  
  
Tyler nodded, reached behind to grab the backpack and came over to kneel next to the Captain, "The Colonel's sick?"  
  
"She's running a fever." Perez was annoyed with himself. He should have kept a more careful eye on her, although there was little he could have done. No doubt the very reason the Colonel didn't say anything either. "Hold the light for me Tyler." He unzipped the windbreaker and pulled it open. He heard Tyler inhale as he grimly surveyed the mess. The makeshift bandages around her ribs had loosened a bit, stretched by sweat, blood and gore. Pulling the scissors out of the first aid kit, he began cutting. A minute later, he gingerly dropped the last of the bandages to the side and took his first good look at the slash in her side. It wasn't deep but it was obviously infected. The area surrounding the wound was red and angry-looking, the slash itself looked raw and weepy. Perez looked over at Tyler, "I don't suppose we have anything to disinfect this, do we?"  
  
The ensign shook his head, "Not nearly enough." He poked through the kit, "Maybe half a dozen of these little packets of antibiotic cream."  
  
"It's better than nothing," Perez said, "Which is what we had before." He worked steadily for several minutes and then sat back on his heels. "Well, that's the best I can do for now. Hopefully, it will help." He looked at Tyler, "There's aspirin in there?" When the young man nodded, he said, "Maybe when she wakes up, we can get some down her for the fever." He picked up the old bandages and went over to the spring. Moving a little downstream, he stuck them in and weighted them down with rocks. When he finished with those, he scrubbed at his own hands.   
  
Tyler gestured towards the campfire, "Sir, why don't you eat? There's rabbit on the spit and watercress and some other greens on that slab of bark next to the fire. I'll keep an eye on the Colonel and let you know when she's awake."   
  
Perez was suddenly aware he was ravenous, he grinned over at Tyler as he settled by the fire, "Keep this up, Ensign, and I'll have to make you a Marine."  
  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
2045 Local  
  
AJ pushed himself upright, pulled the blindfold down and looked around. He decided he could have left the blindfold on, there wasn't much to see in the dark. Of all the stupid things that could have happened, this had to top the list. Gingerly, he tested all his limbs and decided he'd been lucky. That jackass had literally kicked him out of the moving jeep and down an embankment. He hadn't been able to stop himself until he'd crashed sideways into a tree. He could have easily hit headfirst and then he wouldn't have had the luxury of calling that misanthropic moron every expletive in the book. He could live with the bruises.  
  
AJ had no idea where he was, they had turned and looped for at least an hour. He could be 500 yards from the SUV or 500 miles. Worse, he had no idea which direction the militia camp now lay. He surveyed the area again, there was no sign of the Gunny either. Obviously, part of the fun was to separate them. On the good news side, it wouldn't take long to free his wrists. Tinker had tied them just tight enough to pass inspection. And he hadn't bothered to let Liston know that both Dubby and AJ were armed. Each had a 9mm in a skeleton holster attached to their waistbands and hidden under their windbreakers. AJ couldn't help chuckling to himself, so that was Tinker Bell. Tyler didn't do him justice... oh dammit! Tyler! He was going to miss his call, if he hadn't already. Son of a bitch! AJ sat and fumed for a few more minutes and then sighed. There was nothing he could do until morning and there was no point in wasting energy about something he had no control over. He'd settle in for the night and get started as soon as it was light enough to see. 


	27. Part 27

Part Twenty-Seven  
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest  
1920 Local  
  
Harm smiled at Trask, "Very good, Reverend. I hope you won't be offended if I wait until I hear Lt. Singer is safely back in Memphis before I fulfill my end of the bargain? You could consider it a downpayment."  
  
Trask smiled warmly, although his eyes were ice-cold, "Of course I'm offended. So much so that I believe it would be more prudent to keep Lt. Singer here. We can release the two of you together - provided that what you tell me is worth the price."  
  
'Damn, so much for the easy way... ' Harm managed to chuckle ruefully, "Well, it was worth a shot." He extended his wineglass to the Reverend who obligingly refilled it. "As a commanding officer, I'm sure you're familiar with the dilemma of being responsible for your junior officers - even the ones you don't like. I felt obligated to try."  
  
"Of course," Trask's smile became a little more genuine. Finally, someone who understood the onus of leadership. He would truly regret this man's death. "You were going to tell me about Koslov?"  
  
Harm tilted his head, "I believe you were going to tell me what you've deduced or suspected. That way neither one of us has to waste time rehashing old ground."  
  
The Reverend stared at Harm for a long moment, "Very well. As you are no doubt aware, Koslov has been supplying this base for the last eight months. Just about everything we need to get up and running. He's even gotten us materials to put up our buildings. The only things he hasn't provided have been... "  
  
"Money and weapons," Harm finished.  
  
Trask looked at him, "Yes."  
  
"And he told you those items were harder and riskier to obtain and to be patient, he was figuring out a way to get them for you." Harm continued.  
  
"Also correct."   
  
"Would it surprise you to learn that Koslov has already figured out a way? Or, I should say, one of his people has." Harm looked at Trask expectantly. If the Reverend bought this, he and Singer's chances would be going up.  
  
Slowly, Trask raised his eyebrows, "No, I'd have to say it wouldn't surprise me in the least. Do you know why he hasn't handed them over or said anything?"  
  
'Here we go.' Harm gave Trask a small smile, "Have you ever heard of a group called 'Archangel'?"  
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
1945 Local  
  
Lauren paced back and forth in her tiny room. Koslov had provided her with quarters, so to speak - if you could call a closet with a bathroom attached 'quarters'. He hadn't bothered locking her in, where would she go? She did have one of those militia hicks outside her door. He was her 'escort' around the encampment. She and Koslov had dinner together and she'd spent an incredibly boring hour or so, listening to him alternate between vilifying Trask and aggrandizing himself. Fortunately, she had long ago mastered the technique of appearing vitally interested whenever necessary.  
  
She wished there was some way to quell the nervousness and fear. She felt like she was balancing on a knife edge. Her life was hanging on a lie... what had she been thinking?! Some stupid feeling of loyalty had compelled her to try and stop them from beating Cmdr. Rabb. It seemed like the logical thing to say at the time and fortunately, Rabb was quick on the uptake. She didn't like MacKenzie but still, convincing that cretin had left her feeling uncomfortable. Lauren wasn't sure if it was the lie itself or the fact that it was such a flimsy lie.  
  
She sat down on the narrow bed and put her head in her hands. Lauren actually did know one reason for her fear. She'd bet a month's salary that MacKenzie and Perez had turned right around and were on their way back to the militia camp with some vague, ill-planned notion of rescue. What the hell good did the Colonel think she could do? That stupid, stubborn woman could barely walk! God damn the Marines and their goddamn insistence on retrieving their own! They were going to get caught and then, she supposed, they could all have the satisfaction of dying together.   
  
She got up and started marching again. Almost... almost, she considered throwing in with Koslov for real. But... the Captain, for all his apparent skill at not getting caught, was a stupid and vainglorious man. Half the reason for his success was that his commanding officer was an obtuse egotist. The other half was due to Charlie Jacobs' genius. Koslov was quick to take advantage but if he ever had an original thought, Lauren was willing to wager, his head would explode from the shock.   
  
Unfortunately, one didn't have to be smart to be dangerous - which made this charade she was playing that much worse. Lauren snorted to herself as she flopped back down on the bed. She couldn't believe the cavalier attitude of the others, like this was some sort of demented game that they could walk away from. Damn them for getting her involved in this!   
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
0415 Local  
  
Tyler sat and watched the camp. He was on a foraging mission. It had taken a while to convince Perez, but in the end, it was necessity that decided the issue. They needed more supplies. The captain had told him that this would be the safest time to try something. He also told him to get in and get out as quickly as possible. Quietly, he made his way to the mess hall. There was a supply shed next to the kitchen area. It would be his first stop. Hopefully, they didn't bother locking up the canned goods. A few minutes later, he was crouched in the shadows of the two buildings. For all his aplomb in front of the captain, right now his heart was hammering so loud, he was surprised the sentries hadn't heard.  
  
When the kitchen door banged open, he thought his heart just plain stopped. He made himself as small as possible against the base of the shed and tried not to breathe. Damn! He hadn't thought they'd get started this early! Still as a statue, only his eyes tracked the movement of the man. Dressed in white, he was probably a mess hall attendant. Tyler didn't think the cook would do his own fetching and carrying. He heard the jingle of keys as the attendant approached the shed door. It had been locked! Maybe this would work out after all... providing he didn't get caught.  
  
Tyler waited until the man had gone back into the mess, carrying a box of supplies. It was now or never. He eased upright and made his way to the door and quickly ducked inside. Unslinging his backpack, Tyler methodically plucked out the things he thought they'd need. He took the few extra seconds to rearrange items so it wouldn't be apparent anything was missing. He'd come across a carton of linen napkins and had gleefully used them to pack around the canned goods. The kitchen door banging was all the warning he had. Tyler barely made it to the side of the door before the attendant walked in. As soon as the he was past, Tyler flattened him with a large can of stewed tomatoes. He looked down at the unconscious man and then took a quick look outside. Now what?  
  
The one thing he hadn't wanted to happen was for anyone to suspect he was around. Now he might as well spray-paint his name and a big direction arrow. The militia would turn over every rock, and while he might elude them, Perez and the Colonel wouldn't. Dammit, he had to do something, and quickly - he couldn't afford to sit around either. Wait... what if he could make this look like an accident? Like the guy slipped and knocked himself out? Any claims of being attacked could be passed off as not wanting to admit his own clumsiness. Tyler dragged the man further in and started scanning the shelves. There! Apples - not the best but certainly plausible. He opened the bag and laid it on its side, spilling them on the floor. For good measure, he stepped on a couple near the man's shoe. Gathering up his backpack, he checked to see if the coast was clear and vanished into the pre-dawn darkness.  
  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
0500 Local  
  
As soon as it was light enough, AJ started out. He'd been awake for about an hour, trying to work the stiffness and kinks out of his muscles. He was getting too old to be playing human pinball with bunch of trees. Dammit, that's why he had junior officers. They probably thought this kind of stuff was exciting. He kept on trudging uphill. AJ had decided the best course would be to seek the highest ground and then circle out from there. At some point, hopefully, he'd run into the Gunny. After that, they'd see if they could find the militia camp.  
  
AJ reached the summit and looked around. Trees and scrub growth in all directions and not much else. He thought about yelling for Walters and then decided against it. There was no sense in attracting the wrong sort of attention... any more than he already had. Squinting into the rising sun, he decided to start from the east. Stepping out about fifty paces, he turned and began his circuit; taking note of anything of interest. Keeping the summit at his right shoulder, he completed the first circuit and moved out another fifty paces to begin the second. He'd keep increasing the distance for as long as he could keep his reference point in sight. After that, he would head for the next summit and start again. At some point, he would run into something or someone. This was the South, not the West - distances were just not that great. His problem would be avoiding any more psycho rednecks.  
  
He was skirting a particularly dense thicket when he heard it. The light crunch of leaves that could mean someone shifting... or a squirrel scurrying out of sight. Deciding he'd rather feel foolish than dead, he crouched and spun, drawing his pistol at the same time. And found himself looking at the surprised face of Gunny Walters, who had his pistol drawn, too. He was also sporting a large bruise and jagged gash on the side of his head. They relaxed and lowered their weapons at the same time. AJ looked at the Gunny, "Are you okay?"  
  
Walters touched the side of his head gingerly, "Yes sir, I think I finally found a rock that was harder than my head."  
  
AJ grinned, "Maybe you should have it bronzed."  
  
Gunny looked at the Admiral for a moment, he wasn't too sure about kidding around with a two-star. On the other hand... what the hell? "Actually, sir, I was thinking of a nice plaque." He glanced around the forest, "Well, I'm lost. Any idea which direction the militia camp is, sir?"  
  
AJ shook his head, "Not a clue, Gunny." He waved a hand, "I've been working a circle pattern. I suppose it's as good a method as any, we're bound to run into something." They started walking.  
  
Vicinity of Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
0620 Local  
  
Mac struggled to open her eyes. Time was running out, she could feel it. 'Dammit, Marine! Get Up!' She threw everything into a last-ditch effort and at last, her eyes flew open. Blinking in the morning light, she gathered herself for the next effort. Tentatively, she tried raising her head, closing her eyes when the spinning made her queasy. The pain in her shoulder rose and ebbed with each breath. It felt like the one constant in her life. 'C'mon, don't be a wuss.' The minutes were inexorably slipping away and here she was, flat on her back. Stop whining and start moving!   
  
Fine... try it another way. Gritting her teeth, she tried to roll to one side. '... what the hell... ?' Why wasn't she moving? Frustrated, Mac laid there for a moment. Her fear of being too late was an almost tangible thing. Its presence lurked just beyond the edge of her sight, but it was growing. Damn, now there was another voice intruding upon her concentration. She wished it would shut up, she didn't need the distraction. It kept on, low and insistent, exasperating the hell out of her. Didn't it know about that... that thing? Every moment lost made it stronger. She HAD to get moving.   
  
Perez looked over in time to see Mac's eyes open although she didn't seem to register her surroundings. Her fever had broken during the early morning hours. His eyes widened when he saw she was trying to get up. He hurried over and put a hand out, "Easy Colonel, you need to take it a little slower." God knew what had suddenly made her so intent on rising. He kept talking in a low reassuring tone, if he could just get her to calm down. Instead, she seemed to be growing more agitated. He captured the wrist on her good side, the Colonel seemed to hovering right on the edge of consciousness. He would try to get her the rest of the way and he didn't want to get decked for his trouble. 


	28. Part 28

Part Twenty-Eight  
  
Vicinity of Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
0635 Local  
  
Mac struggled to free herself. The fear had taken on sentience, wrapping around her and laughing even as it filled her with dread. Too late... out of time... too late... No! She would not, could not accept that and fought all the harder. There was still time... there had to be. That damn voice kept yammering in her ear. It sounded more frantic even as it urged her to stop - to give up. No!  
  
"Colonel? Colonel MacKenzie? Can you hear me?" Perez hung on as Mac struggled to free her wrist. Afraid to raise his voice, he tried to make it more intense. Dammit, this was harder than he thought it'd be. He didn't want to hurt her and he was trying to keep her from hurting herself. "Ma'am, please! It's okay! Take it easy!" This was rapidly getting out of control. She was getting more and more agitated and now he was afraid to let go. Where the hell was she getting the energy?! By now he was half-straddling her, trying to use his body weight to keep her in one place. Hopefully, he could hold on until Tyler got back. Between the two of them, maybe they could calm her down. He wasn't having much luck by himself. What the hell was the matter with her? Where the hell was Tyler? He should be back any time now. At last, he heard the rustle of the underbrush and then a sharp intake of breath, and sighed with relief, "Get over here and help me, I can't keep her still!"  
  
He got the shock of his life when two hands roughly grabbed him and threw him backwards across the clearing. He hit hard, rolled and scrambled to his feet in time to see a fist swinging towards his head. He threw out his left to block only to have the bigger man power through. He had managed to dissipate some of the force so the blow made him stagger but didn't knock him down. He evaded the next punch, came up inside for a quick one-two combination and took a blow to the midriff in return. He forced himself backwards, that midsection punch made him want to drop to his knees. He needed to keep moving, this guy was too big for a toe-to-toe slugfest.   
  
Then he saw the other man next to the Colonel and threw caution to the winds. He launched himself at his opponent in a whirlwind attack that drove the bigger man backwards. Relentlessly, he pressed the attack, he had to stop the second man. He got his opening a few moments later and launched himself. He was almost there when the first man caught him around the legs and brought him crashing to the ground just short of his goal. Wheezing, he looked up to see the muzzle of a pistol stuck in his face. 'Goddammit!' He squeezed his eyes shut and then snapped them open at the unmistakable sound of shotgun chambering a round.  
  
He could have wept when he heard Tyler's voice behind him, "Drop your weapons and stand up slowly." Perez felt the weight across his legs lift as the men complied. Carefully he sat up, rubbing his jaw.  
  
"Now put your hands behind your head and move back." Tyler waited until they had moved away and glanced anxiously at Perez, "Captain? Are you and the Colonel all right?" He refocused his attention and his aim when the second man took a step forward.  
  
"Ensign Tyler?"  
  
Tyler's mouth dropped open as he lowered the shotgun, "Admiral Chegwidden?"  
  
Perez looked from one to the other, "What?"  
  
AJ looked down at him, "I'm AJ Chegwidden, the Judge Advocate General and I presume you're Captain Perez?" Perez nodded a little numbly as the Gunny extended a hand to help him up. AJ gestured to Walters, "And this gentleman is Gunnery Sergeant Rudy Walters."  
  
Perez nodded once again and then his brain seemed to kick in again. The Colonel! With an apologetic 'Excuse me, sir,' he hurried over to Mac. It didn't surprise him to find the other three men close behind. He knelt on one side, while AJ knelt on the other. Tyler and Walters remained standing. Perez looked over at AJ, "The Colonel was starting to come around, sir, when you two showed up. She was stuck in some sort of nightmare, I think. She kept trying to get up - I was afraid she would hurt herself."  
  
AJ grunted thoughtfully, looking down at his Chief of Staff, "How badly is she injured?"  
  
"A broken collarbone and fairly long slash across her ribs, sir. It wasn't deep but it became infected." Perez paused for a moment, "I think a lot of it right now is exhaustion. These last twelve hours or so, were the first real break she's had since they grabbed her."  
  
"Who's 'they'?"  
  
AJ watched as Perez got a funny look on his face, "Ummm... it was a toss-up between 'Archangel' and the Acme Assassination Gang. Commander Rabb thought it was 'Archangel'."  
  
AJ just looked at him, "The Acme Assassination Gang?"  
  
"Well, they kept missing... "  
  
"And I was starting to feel like the Roadrunner." Mac added quietly, she'd slowly awakened during their conversation. The more alarming aspects of her ... nightmare?... had faded with the return of full consciousness. She was still plagued with a sense of urgency and unease, but it was manageable. Mac surveyed the faces around her and smiled when she recognized Gunny Walters. He grinned lightly in return. Finally, she turned her gaze to the Admiral and felt vague surprise when he smiled at her. She was feeling fuzzy about a number of things, but the fact that she'd disappointed this man once again, wasn't one of them.   
  
AJ saw the look and cursed inwardly. This was something he needed to fix and soon, before Webb made good his promise and he lost one of his best people. Well, he could start by treating her like the competent officer she was. He looked down at her, "Mac? Think you can handle sitting up? I need to know what's going on and then we have plans to make." Together he and Perez got her upright and leaning against the embankment. AJ frowned when she closed her eyes briefly, she'd gotten noticeably paler. He ran through what he had learned so far and asked, "Colonel? How long has it been since you've had anything to eat?"  
  
Mac blinked and looked over at him, "Thirty-five hours and forty-two minutes, sir." Out of the corner of his eye, AJ saw Perez and Tyler exchange incredulous glances, Gunny Walters just looked smug.  
  
Chegwidden shook his head slightly, "Then that's the first order of business." He looked at Perez and Tyler, "Which one of you officers is in charge of the Mess?"  
  
Perez smiled and jerked a thumb at Tyler, "That would be young Daniel Boone, sir."  
  
Tyler blushed furiously as Chegwidden's attention was directed towards him. Even though he'd been talking to the man for the last day or so, being this close to the Judge Advocate General was terribly disconcerting. He swallowed nervously and saw Colonel MacKenzie give him an encouraging smile. He looked back at the Admiral and stammered, "Sir?"  
  
"What's for breakfast, Ensign?" AJ took his first good look at Tyler. He was small and wiry, with sandy brown hair - not a bad-looking kid. AJ decided he was one of those men who brought out the mothering instinct in every female past puberty... and was still young enough to consider it a disadvantage.  
  
"Well sir," Tyler unslung his backpack and lowered it to the ground, "I've got these canned goods I picked up this morning." He glanced over at Perez, "We'll have to open them with a knife, I couldn't find a can opener." Looking back at the Admiral, he continued, "And I still have to check my snares this morning and I set a line in a deep pool I found. Hopefully, we'll have some trout. And... uhhh... if you'd like I could gather some fresh greens..." his voice trailed off at the look on the Admiral's face. Oh god, what had he said now? "Sir?"  
  
AJ gave himself a mental shake when he realized he'd been staring. "Very good, Ensign." He paused for a moment while he considered whether he wanted to ask the next question. Finally, he said, "Where did the canned goods come from?"  
  
Tyler glanced helplessly at Perez and then back to Chegwidden, "The storage shed next to the mess hall, sir." Behind the Admiral, he saw Colonel MacKenzie's eyes widen in surprise.  
  
"In the militia camp?"  
  
Tyler nodded slowly.  
  
"And you got in and out without being seen?"  
  
Tyler hesitated and then said, "Yes."   
  
AJ looked a little harder. "Ensign?"  
  
Shifting a bit, Tyler said, "Well, the guy never actually saw me. I waited 'til he was past and hit him with a can of stewed tomatoes. Then I made it look like he had slipped and knocked himself out. It was the only thing I could think of at the time," he added, half-apologetically. Chegwidden stared at the young man for a long moment. Behind Tyler, Walters and Perez exchanged looks and then studiously contemplated their shoes.  
  
"Uh-huh." AJ looked over his shoulder at Mac and said solemnly, "Stewed tomatoes."  
  
Mac's lips twitched once, "I believe the regs call for peach slices."  
  
"In heavy syrup." Gunny added politely.  
  
AJ gazed skyward, "He is young... "  
  
"And inexperienced." Perez agreed.  
  
AJ finally looked back at a nervous Tyler, "And I'm sure it won't happen again, will it?" At the Ensign's vigorous nod, the Admiral smiled, "Fine, go check your snares and the trout line. Don't worry about the greens, we'll make do with the canned food." He watched Tyler beat a grateful retreat before he started to chuckle. AJ turned back towards Mac, "Colonel? What would you like for breakfast?"  
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
0700 Local  
  
Trask stared at the three men standing in front of him and said quietly, "So you took it upon yourselves to have a little 'fun' with some civilians?" They nodded cautiously. "And you think one of these men was some sort of corporate president or chairman? ... But you're not sure because you lost their identification?" The third man shifted uncomfortably. The Reverend looked up at the ceiling and then brought his gaze and his fist down on the desk. "Have you completely lost your minds? How stupid can you be?!" His voice began to increase in volume. "Someone is going to come looking for these two! And they're going to find us!" Now he was up and pacing back and forth behind his desk. He turned and pinned them with a glare, "You've given the State Police and the FBI reason to come down here and investigate." He let that sink in and then waved a hand, "Get back to your barracks and stay there while I decide what has to be done."  
  
Exchanging worried glances, the three men turned and left. Trask dropped back in his chair and propped his elbows on the desk. This was incredibly ill-timed. Ever since Koslov had grabbed those JAG officers, things seemed to be spiraling out of his control. Why he had ever agreed to it? He scrubbed a hand through his hair and answered himself ruefully, 'Money.' When Koslov contacted him to warn about the investigation, he'd also mentioned he might have a solution. One that could bring in a substantial amount of money. Ordinarily, he shied away from this sort of thing but he let Koslov convince him that they were just fulfilling a contract that was already in place. Besides, what was one woman when compared to the rest of his plans? Except, now she was dead, the buyers' people were due in tomorrow and because of that idiot Liston, he could expect the police at any time. The simplest solution would be to kill all of them, get rid of the bodies and just brazen it out with the cops. However, simple was seldom best... he'd have to think about this. 


	29. Part 29

Part Twenty-Nine  
  
Vicinity of Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
0805 Local  
  
AJ cleared his throat, everyone had, more or less, finished eating. "If one of you would start at the beginning, I'd like to hear the sequence of events. Then we can decide how to proceed."  
  
Mac, Tyler and Perez looked at each other for a moment and then Mac began, starting with her conversation with Lt. Cmdr. Brighton. She kept the narrative concise and dispassionate. Perez and Tyler took their cue from her, adding their parts to the story as needed. AJ listened quietly, some of this he had heard from Rabb. Gunny Walters was a little more intent, he'd only had the bare bones of the story... and Admiral Crowley's version of events. When the narration finally ceased, there was a brief period of silence.  
  
Mac stared at the ground, having to say it had been both a burden and a blessing. The last thirty-eight hours had been a nightmare. For some reason, summarizing it out loud seemed to put it into a context she could deal with. It also brought back into focus the problems she was facing with the Admiral. Maybe it would make her discussion with him a little easier - now he would have the background for her decision. More troubling was that feeling of urgency and unease. It was back and growing stronger. She started reviewing what she'd heard from the others, there had to be a reason for this. Her attention was diverted by the sound of the Admiral's voice.  
  
AJ shared a glance with Walters and then gazed at the rest of the group. Perez and Tyler were watching him a trifle nervously. Mac, on the other hand, seemed distracted and pensive. Chegwidden couldn't decide if it was because of what he had learned from Webb or just worry about Harm. Well, the first order of business would be extracting his officers and Cpl. Bell from the militia. He looked over at Tyler, "Do you still have Commander Rabb's cellphone?" Both Perez and Mac's heads came up as they looked at Tyler. AJ had seen the surprise on both their faces when Tyler had told about contacting JAG headquarters earlier.  
  
"Yes sir," Tyler pulled it out of his pocket and handed it over.  
  
AJ took it and then grinned ruefully, "Anybody know the number of the Memphis FBI?"  
  
"What about 9-1-1, sir?" Tyler asked.  
  
Perez shook his head, "The driver, Mario, said that the local law enforcement people were probably sympathizers with the militia. We'd just wind up with more people after us." He looked over at AJ, "I could call my people on base and have them get in touch with the Bureau."  
  
"No offense, Captain, but someone had to let Captain Koslov know that the Colonel and Lt. Singer would be last out of the JAG offices that night," Gunny Walters said. "Until we know where all the leaks are, we shouldn't contact anyone on base."  
  
Perez didn't look happy as he acknowledged the truth of that statement. Mac looked over at him, "What about Ellie?" She glanced at AJ, "The captain's wife. She's a civilian psychiatrist at the base hospital and... " Mac grinned at Perez, "... apparently, a force to be reckoned with when she's worried or angry. I don't think it will raise any eyebrows when she storms the offices of the FBI - if she hasn't already."  
  
AJ thought it over while Perez watched him anxiously. He was doing his best to maintain a professional demeanor. The Admiral smiled inwardly as he tossed the phone to Perez and said gruffly, "Make the call, Captain. Tell her to contact Special Agent Ramos, he's familiar with the case." He gestured to the far side of the ravine, "Over there, please. We still have plans to discuss." As they watched Perez hurry away, AJ leaned back and said quietly, "Nice work, Colonel." He watched her give him a brief smile and then return to whatever it was she was thinking about earlier. Damn, this was what made her an excellent Chief of Staff. She'd solved his problem and a potential problem with Perez at the same time. He needed to fix this, he had no intention of letting her get herself killed running around with Webb. He had a hard time trusting any organization that thought nothing of sacrificing their own for their perceived view of the 'greater good'. But first... he looked over at Tyler, "I'd like to get a look at the camp later. We'll need to be able to give the Feds an idea of the layout and how many people they'll be facing."  
  
Before Tyler could reply, all heads turned as Perez came back. "Well, Captain?" AJ asked.  
  
Perez smiled as he handed back the phone, "Ellie is on her way there right now. Ramos should be calling us soon."  
  
"You don't look too singed, is Ellie okay?" Mac asked with a grin.  
  
Perez grinned back and then ducked his head, "She decided to save it until she can get her hands on me. It should be ... interesting." They exchanged guilty glances when the Admiral cleared his throat.  
  
AJ gave them a dry look and then glanced over at Tyler, "Ensign?"  
  
"Yes sir, we can go whenever you're ready." Tyler looked a little worried at the prospect of sneaking through the underbrush with a two-star in tow. What if something happened? The man was old! "Ummm, sir? Maybe Capt. Perez or Gunny Walters could come along too, just in case."  
  
AJ narrowed his gaze, "In case of what, Ensign?" He had a pretty good idea what was bothering the young man and judging from the looks on everyone else's faces, so did they.  
  
Tyler floundered about for a moment, how do you tell an Admiral he's a little old to be traipsing through the woods? He looked helplessly at the Colonel who regarded him with thinly veiled amusement. Finally, she relented and said, "Excuse me sir, but I think Ensign Tyler is apprehensive about having someone of your... rank anywhere near any potential trouble."  
  
AJ glared at Mac. She'd gotten through that statement with a perfectly straight face, although he could see the laughter in her eyes. Gunny and Perez were studiously avoiding looking at him at all. He transferred his glare to Tyler, who looked ready to wilt. "Thank you for your concern, Ensign. You'll be relieved to know that despite my... rank... I'm more than capable of running a reconnaisance. But, another pair of eyes won't hurt. Captain Perez can come along too... providing that's agreeable to you, Mr. Tyler."  
  
Tyler nodded vigorously, glad to be off the hook. "When do you want to leave, sir?"  
  
"The sooner, the better." AJ looked over at Mac and handed her the cellphone. "When Ramos calls, fill him in on what's been happening. He's been going over your files so he's familiar with a lot of it."  
  
"Yes sir," Mac answered, she wished she could go along but that was out of the question. She also wished she could pin down what was bothering her. The sense of urgency was growing. Maybe after everyone left, she could concentrate a little better.  
  
Five minutes later, Tyler, Perez and the Admiral headed out. Mac and Walters watched them leave and then looked at each other. "Sorry you got stuck on the babysitting detail, Gunny." Mac said apologetically.  
  
Gunny waved a hand and smiled, "It's okay, Colonel. God wouldn't have invented Gunnery Sergeants if officers didn't need looking after."  
  
Mac raised an eyebrow, "Even the ones that are a pain in the ass?"  
  
Walters had the grace to blush, "We never did discuss that, did we ma'am?"  
  
"No, but don't worry about it, Gunny. I'm learning not to look a gift rescue in the mouth," Mac said dryly. She shifted a bit and gave a slight wince. Her side was better but still sensitive. There wasn't much she could do about her shoulder, so there was no point in complaining.  
  
"Is there anything I can do, ma'am?"  
  
Mac shook her head, "Remind me not to get blindsided next time. This has been inconvenient as hell." She lapsed into silence, missing the look on Gunny's face as she stared at the ground. Goddammit, what was it that had her so fidgety? She glanced back up to find the Gunny still looking at her, "What?"  
  
Walters blinked, "Sorry, ma'am. I guess... I'm just glad you aren't dead." He grimaced to himself as she continued to stare at him. What a brilliant thing to say to a senior officer, especially one that he liked. Oh hell, she was still staring. Could she be that upset? "Colonel?"  
  
"I'm supposed to be dead," Mac said faintly. She was staring at the Gunny but not really seeing him.  
  
"What?" Now the Gunny was perplexed.  
  
Mac focused her attention on Walters. "That's what that militia man said. The one that came across Perez and I, after we'd made it back to the camp. I was supposed to be dead and Perez didn't exist... " She looked around the ravine, "They didn't kill him. Perez and Tyler. They just tied him up so he would be found eventually. They're going to find him, dammit, and he's going to tell what he saw. Oh god... "  
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
0800 Local  
  
Koslov looked in the mirror and ran a hand through his hair. The buyer's people would be here today, probably around noon or so. Hopefully, they wouldn't mind the substitution. He had seriously considered taking Lt. Singer up on her offer to join his network. In the end, though, he decided he'd rather have the money. She was still under the impression that she'd be working for him. It did make it easier to handle her. Then he'd see about getting rid of Rabb. Maybe he could pawn it off on one of these neanderthals; he'd learned the value of deniability. If only he could get rid of Trask... but he still needed the pompous jackass.   
  
Koslov shook his head, that pious lunatic had some grandiose plan of uniting all the little ragtag militias all over the country. Then the Right Reverend Trask would quietly subvert local governments, eventually move through the various levels until he had the states and then he somehow planned to abolish the central government. No doubt some pie-in-the-sky plan for Southern revenge of their defeat in the Civil War. Wait... what had he heard them call it? Oh yes... the 'Late Unpleasantness'. These Southerners had a stranglehold on the past, no wonder they never seemed to get anywhere. Koslov cordially hated each and every one of them. They talked slow, moved slow, thought slow. Schedules were a foreign concept, he didn't think any of them knew how to tell time. He snorted disdainfully, Trask would be lucky if he could get even two militias to cooperate with him.  
  
Of course, he had pledged to support Trask all the way to the top. It was the only way he could think of to get his hands on the Reverend's contacts within the other militias. Once he had those, Trask could have an unfortunate accident. With Jarvis' program in place and the militia market secured, he would be well on his way to becoming an extremely wealthy man. Koslov amused himself for a few moments, imagining the look on Crowley's face when he resigned his commission to become a millionaire. Humming to himself, he opened the door of his quarters and halted in surprise. One of the militia hicks was standing in front of his door with a pistol pointed at him. Koslov could see Trask standing a little further back in the hallway. "What the hell do you think... " That was as far as he got before the pistol went off.  
  
Trask walked up and looked in the room. He glanced over at the other man, "Thank you Preston. Have someone clean this up. I'll be having breakfast with Commander Rabb and Lt. Singer and then I'll be in my office." He walked thoughtfully back down the hallway, vengeance might belong to the Lord - but it was satisfying as hell here on earth, too. 


	30. Part 30

Part Thirty  
  
Vicinity of Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
0835 Local  
  
"Ma'am?" Gunny asked worriedly. He wasn't quite sure what he was hearing. Whatever it was, it was upsetting the Colonel. The damn cellphone ringing made him jump.  
  
Mac stared at the phone, composing herself. She pushed 'Answer' and cautiously said, "Hello?" She listened for a moment and then said, "This is Col. MacKenzie, is this SA Ramos?" She was quiet again, and then continued, "All right Mr. Ramos, but we need you and your agents down here now. The militia is holding Cmdr. Rabb and Lt. Singer. Time is getting critical and the situation is becoming very fluid." Mac listened again and then looked at the phone in growing frustration. She understood about procedure but, goddammit, these people needed to get off the dime. She put the phone back to her ear. "Listen to me, Ramos, Cmdr. Rabb and the Lieutenant ensured my escape by telling the militia that I had died from injuries received during the kidnapping. That lie is about to be found out. So screw your damn procedures, get your people together and get moving, or I swear I'll have your ass! Are we clear? Good!" She ended the call with an angry jab of her finger and looked up to see Gunny Walters watching her.  
  
"We need to get to the militia camp, Gunny." Mac was struggling to her feet as she spoke.  
  
He hurried over to give her a hand. "What are you planning to do, Colonel?" he asked apprehensively.  
  
"Whatever I need to," she answered, eyeing him determinedly. "Once we get close, I want you to find the Admiral. The last thing we need is for them to suspect there's anyone else out there."  
  
Walters sighed, "Ma'am, I can't let you do this. You're going to get yourself killed and that's assuming you'll even make it as far as the camp."  
  
Mac stared at him, "If I don't go, they will kill Cmdr. Rabb and Lt. Singer. My showing up will prevent that - hopefully, long enough for the FBI to make an appearance."  
  
The Gunny shifted uncomfortably, "I'm sorry, ma'am, my orders are to keep you safe. Storming the militia camp isn't the way to do that, begging your pardon."  
  
"You're sorry?! Harm and Lauren are going to die when that militia finds out they've been jerked around. I can stop that." Mac stood toe to toe with Walters, glaring up at him, "And, so help me God, that's what I'm going to do. So, unless your orders include physically restraining me, Gunnery Sergeant, stop wasting my time and get the hell out of my way."  
  
She turned and stalked down the ravine, shoulders tense. If Gunny did decide to stop her, there wouldn't be much she could do. Hell, right now a six-year old could probably knock her down. This would have been a lot easier with Gunny's help, but she'd do without. She didn't have a choice, time was running out.  
  
Gunny stood and watched her march off. Goddammit! The Admiral had told him not to let anything happen to the Colonel. The only way to stop her would be to physically restrain her, a step he wasn't all that anxious to take. It didn't help that he agreed with her. Leaving the Commander and the Lieutenant to die when it could be prevented went against everything he believed in. And he was pretty sure the Colonel would fight if he tried to stop her. That could injure her more - something he was supposed to prevent. On the other hand, the militia could easily kill all three of them as a way of getting rid of any evidence. Walters quietly let loose with an impressive string of profanity and then hurried after Mac.  
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
0805 Local  
  
Lauren looked over at Harm, her eyes wide, "That sounded like... "  
  
Harm nodded, "... a gunshot." They were back in the little dining area where Harm had eaten dinner with the Reverend yesterday. He'd been surprised to find Lauren there as well. She told him that Trask had sent one of his gorillas to her quarters and said her presence was requested at breakfast. There'd been little room for debate. Harm resisted the urge to fidget, Singer was nervous enough for both of them. That shot had sounded like it came from within the building. What the hell was Trask up to? Last night, he hadn't questioned any of Harm's theories about Koslov and 'Archangel'.  
  
Harm and Singer exchanged uneasy glances when a beaming Reverend Trask swept into the room.  
  
"Good morning, Commander, Lieutenant. I trust everyone slept well?" Trask continued to grin as they both nodded somewhat hesitantly, "Please, have a seat." He politely held the chair for Lt. Singer. As before, once everyone was seated, the orderlies came out and began filling the table with food. When they left and the Reverend had said grace, he looked over at Harm, "After we've finished, I have a number of things to discuss with you, Commander." He then concentrated on his meal. Trask glanced over at Singer after a few minutes. She hadn't touched anything. "I beg your pardon, my dear, isn't the food to your liking?"  
  
Lauren stared at Trask, "What's going to happen to me?" Her knuckles were white as she twisted her napkin back and forth in her lap. For some reason or other, Koslov had apparently handed her over to the Reverend and the militia.  
  
The Reverend sighed, "Lieutenant, I have a policy of never discussing business while eating. Meals are so much more pleasant that way. Please enjoy your breakfast and I'll be happy to talk about anything you wish afterwards." He turned back to Harm and began a discussion about jazz music. Lauren stared for a moment longer and then slowly began to eat.  
  
Halfway through their meal, a disturbance in the hallway attracted one of Trask's guards. He came back in and went over to the Reverend. "Sir? One of the patrol leaders is in the hallway, he wants to speak to you right now."  
  
Trask dabbed at his lips with a napkin before looking coldly at the guard. "I thought I'd made it plain that I am not to be disturbed while enjoying a meal. Tell the man to wait in my office, I'll be there directly." When the guard remained standing at the table, his eyebrows went up in surprise and then began to lower dangerously. He said softly, "I should hate to have to repeat myself, Harper... "  
  
Harm and Lauren watched the blood drain from Harper's face as he mumbled something and fled. The two shared another quick glance and then looked back at Trask. He was still scowling slightly, then noticed their gaze and smiled, "Please forgive the intrusion, sir, madam." He looked at Harm, "Where were we?"  
  
At last, the Reverend pushed back from the table and sighed, "That was delicious, as always." He looked at the two officers, "I hope you found everything satisfactory?" He smiled happily when they both nodded. They all waited silently as the orderlies came in and cleared away the table. When they had finished, Trask leaned back, "I believe you both had several questions this morning?"  
  
Harm glanced at Singer and then cleared his throat warily, "Well, Reverend, the Lieutenant and I thought we heard a pistol shot a little while ago... ."  
  
Trask tapped a finger on the table, "Ahhh yes... I suppose that's to be expected, the walls are so thin in buildings nowadays." He looked at Harm and smiled warmly, "Our discussion last night helped me make several difficult decisions. I had been putting it off, but this morning I just went ahead and had it done. Now it feels like a huge weight has been lifted. I had no idea it had been vexing me so much."   
  
Harm eyed Trask, he had a pretty good idea what had happened but he needed to confirm it. He asked cautiously, "What did you have done, sir?"  
  
Trask looked at him in surprise, "I allowed Captain Koslov the opportunity to look upon the face of God, Commander." He leaned forward and said conspiratorially, "Personally, I think it will take some time in Purgatory before that happens. He wasn't a nice man."  
  
The Reverend looked over at Singer who was staring at him, white-faced and wide-eyed. "You wished to know what was going to happen to you?" He leaned back again and resumed tapping his fingers, "Well, Commander Rabb wants you released. I agreed to that earlier. However," he nodded apologetically at Harm, "there have been some complications of which I've just been made aware. Were either of you aware that Captain Koslov had arranged to fulfill an old contract made by Charlie Jacobs and some foreign gentlemen? It was to be Colonel MacKenzie, which unfortunately, is now impossible." He gazed sympathetically at the two officers who were staring at him aghast. "Apparently, rather than take the obvious solution and cancel the contract, he was hoping to have them agree to a substitution. Their representatives will be here sometime around noon."  
  
"What are you going to do?" Harm could practically feel the waves of panic radiating off Lt. Singer. She was sitting frozen in her chair. There had to be a way to stop this!  
  
Trask tilted his head to one side, "I really haven't decided yet. It is a great deal of money... " He stood up abruptly, "If you'll excuse me, I really do need to get to work. I'm sure you understand." He smiled pleasantly, "Preston and Nichols will escort you back to your quarters. Perhaps we can have lunch together later today." Nodding to them, he turned and walked out.  
  
Vicinity of Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
0850 Local  
  
Mac tensed when she heard the Gunny come up beside her. She didn't bother looking at him. She was unsteady enough that all her concentration was involved in staying upright and moving forward. Mac couldn't help breathing a small sigh of relief when she felt Gunny place a supporting hand under her elbow. "Thank you," she said quietly.  
  
"The Admiral is going to bust me all the way down to crossing guard for this, ma'am," Walters grumbled.  
  
"I'll probably be right beside you, Gunny," Mac said wryly.  
  
He snorted, "You've got the easy part, ma'am. All you have to do is face down a million militia men. I get to tell the Admiral what you're doing. A caring officer wouldn't put a non-com through something like that."  
  
Mac chuckled, "If you're trying to guilt-trip me into letting you face the million militia men and me telling the Admiral, you can just forget it. 'Be Kind to Gunnery Sergeants' was last week."   
  
They were quiet for a moment while negoitating a rough area of terrain. Walters glanced over at Mac, "So, Colonel Custer, any plan for dealing with your million militia men?"  
  
"I haven't decided. It's a toss-up between running like hell and surrounding them. You have any ideas on dealing with the Admiral?"  
  
"I figure the straight-forward approach. Then he can go ahead and kill me on the spot. What the hell, you can only die once, right?"  
  
Mac gave him a sideways look, "Obviously, you've never dealt with Admiral's Privilege before." They gradually lapsed into silence as they drew nearer the militia camp. 


	31. Part 31

Part Thirty-One  
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
0910 Local  
  
Harm watched as Singer strode rapidly back and forth. Unfortunately, there wasn't a lot he could say to make her feel any better. Still, they had at least three hours - maybe some sort of escape plan could be devised. He shook his head in disgust, he thought he'd had this taken care of with Trask. The man was turning out to be a real psychopath and predicting his next move was becoming damn near impossible.  
  
"Lieutenant," Harm began tentatively, "You're wearing yourself to a frazzle. Sit down for a minute, maybe we can figure something out."  
  
Lauren threw up her hands while she continued to pace, "Figure what out? That lunatic is going to SELL me! Goddammit!! As far as I can tell, my only choices will be dying or wishing I was dead. Unless, of course, you've put together some wonderfully brilliant plan to escape?" She stopped and glared at him. Harm gazed silently back. Most of his hopes were based on help arriving in time - and there were no guarantees. Lauren snorted, "That's what I thought. So spare me your sympathy and the mindless morale-boosting. Things *are* as bad as they seem!"   
  
The door to their room banged open. Reverend Trask stood in the doorway, scowling, "You two have been lying to me."  
  
Harm glanced at Singer. "You're wrong, Lieutenant," he breathed, "Things are worse."  
  
Vicinity of Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
0905 Local  
  
Mac leaned up against the trunk of a tree and looked over at Walters, "This is where you get off, Gunny." They could just see some of the outbuildings in the distance. "You're sure you can find the Admiral?"  
  
Walters gave a small smile, "Piece of cake, ma'am." He was silent a moment and then said, "Are you sure this has to be done? How do you know they won't kill all of you? The Feds should be here in a couple of hours or so. Can't we just wait?"  
  
Mac studied the ground at her feet before looking back up at Walters. "Yes, I'm pretty sure it has to be done this way and no, we can't wait." She exhaled in frustration as she turned her head to stare at the camp, "I can't explain it, call it woman's intuition or maybe just monumental ego, but Harm and Lauren won't have a couple of hours unless I'm there. I don't think they'll kill me, they went to a lot of trouble to get me here in the first place." She looked back down at her feet, but not before Gunny caught the bleak expression in her eyes. "I think I know why they want me and it will be to their advantage to keep me as healthy as possible... ." She paused and then looked up and smiled, "It's probably a good thing I can't run. Otherwise, I think I'd be in Canada by now." Mac pushed herself off the tree, "Time's a-wasting, Gunny. Go find the Admiral."  
  
Walters gazed at her for a moment before coming to attention and saluting. Startled, Mac returned it reflexively. Then she smiled and flapped her hand at him, "Gunny... Shoo."  
  
"Yes ma'am." Turning, he headed deeper in the woods. He paused after a couple of steps, looking back over his shoulder and grinning, "When you feel the aftershock, you'll know I found the Admiral." Mac watched until he disappeared into the underbrush and then resolutely turned towards the militia camp.  
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
0918 Local  
  
Harm turned towards the Reverend and with a calm he was far from feeling, said, "I beg your pardon?" He was peripherally aware of Singer tensing at his words.  
  
Trask stomped further into the room and leaned menacingly towards Harm, "According to the both of you, Colonel MacKenzie is dead, correct? That was quite a convincing little act you two put on - I told my men to stop searching. No point in wasting time and energy, right? So you may imagine my surprise when a routine patrol stumbles across one of my men bound and gagged. We thought he had deserted... and he had the most interesting story to tell. Would you like to hear it?"  
  
Harm nodded numbly. Son of a bitch! There was no doubt in his mind who the militia man had run into. Perez was supposed to get Mac away from these lunatics!  
  
"It seems he came across Colonel MacKenzie, alive and well; but before he could bring her in, he was assaulted by a number of her associates. They discussed killing him outright but he managed to convince them not to and they tied him up instead." Trask folded his arms and glared at the Commander, "Remarkable behavior for a corpse, wouldn't you say? How many men did you bring with you?"  
  
Outwardly relaxed, Harm even managed to chuckle ruefully, "You have no idea how relieved I am to hear that the Colonel is still alive." Both Trask and Singer stared at him. "That is a pretty remarkable story, Reverend, and it's only fair to to say that at least part of it is true. Tell me, have you ever seen Colonel MacKenzie?"  
  
Trask shook his head suspiciously, "What difference would that possibly make?"  
  
Harm smiled slightly, "The Colonel is an extremely attractive woman, something that tends to make men overlook the fact that she is also a fully trained Marine. I'd be surprised if the only thing your man thought of when he saw her, was to bring her in." He waited a moment to let that idea sink in, "Tell him he's pretty lucky, Mac killed the last man who tried to assault her. Gutted him with his own knife."  
  
Trask stared at Rabb, nonplussed. This was not the way he had imagined the conversation would go. He had expected angry denials and self-righteous counterclaims of lying. The Commander's theory was plausible: Rufe Martin was a pig in every sense of the word, attempted rape wouldn't be out of the question. Giving himself a mental shake, he scowled at Rabb, "The fact remains that the two of you lied. Why should I believe anything you say now?"  
  
Aware that he was splitting hairs, Harm said carefully, "We didn't lie to you. We lied to Captain Koslov. I'd have done whatever was necessary to keep Colonel MacKenzie out of that bastard's hands. Afterwards, when I realized that you were actually in charge, I'm afraid I just didn't know how to bring it up." He inclined his head, "I apologize for that."  
  
The Reverend looked at Harm for a long moment and then began to pace the room. Once again, he'd been reminded of just how clever and dangerous Rabb was. He found he liked the man, if nothing else than for the intellectual challenge. He was well aware the Commander could still be lying to him. He amended that: was still lying to him. The question was: did the risk outweigh the possible benefits of keeping him alive? He had hopes of manipulating Rabb into helping keep Koslov's supply line open and possibly expanding it as well. Now he was beginning to feel the whole idea was futile. Finally, he stopped pacing and sighed. He looked over at Harm, "I accept your apology and in return, offer one of my own." He turned and looked at Preston, "Kill him."  
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
0925 Local  
  
Tink threw another shovelful of dirt over his shoulder and then paused for a moment. He watched with a certain amount of malicious glee as Liston and Thomason sweated and cursed as they, too, continued to dig. Trask had assigned all three to ditch-digging for the foreseeable future. There was some justice in the world after all. It was about time those two got to share in the work.  
  
He didn't pay attention to the voices at first. Even as the volume increased, he didn't think anything of it. No doubt another fistfight had broken out and now bets were being made. Then the timbre changed and suddenly alarm bells were going off in his head. In one fluid motion, Tink was out of the ditch and striding towards the noise, ignoring Liston's angry protest. He'd heard the sound of an out-of-control mob before.   
  
He rounded the corner of a building, shovel still in hand, and looked out upon a chaotic scene. With the advantage of his height, Tink was able to see over most of the milling crowd towards the center where a melee was taking place. His mouth dropped open in shock when he saw a grim-faced Col. MacKenzie in the midst of the maelstrom. She and her two lone defenders were being pushed, shoved and pummeled as the increasingly frenzied crowd surged around them. Suddenly, in a flurry of movement, all three disappeared from sight.  
  
With a roar, Tink waded in swinging shovel and fist in murderous abandon. In seconds, the mob's attention was divided as the men closest to the oncoming juggernaut fought and clawed to get out of his path. It took him several minutes to work his way to the center; even though a path had more or less opened in front as men scrambled frantically out of his way. He lurched into the small, clear area and took in the tableau that had frozen upon his arrival. Of Mac's two defenders, one was facedown and unmoving and the other sat holding his head. The Colonel was pinned to the ground by three men while a fourth man stood just in front. His hands were still on his pants and his leering grin was fast fading into panic-stricken shock as he stared at Tink.  
  
With surprising swiftness, Tink closed the gap between them and one massive hand wrapped around the man's throat. Almost beside himself with rage, he tightened his grip and lifted the man off the ground. He watched the man's eyes bulge as his face turned dark red and then heaved him as hard as he could into the crowd. Two of the other men had used the opportunity to flee into the mob. The third pulled out a large hunting knife and lunged at Tink's back only to stumble when Mac kicked at his legs as he passed. Tink pivoted as the man recovered and renewed his attack. Swinging the shovel, Tink caught him with an edge, causing the man to drop the knife as his forearm was laid open. Stepping in quickly, Tink brought his fist down on top of the man's head, dropping him in a heap.  
  
The mob stood in shocked silence as he reached down and hauled Mac to her feet. "Move," was all he rumbled as he propelled her down the still-open path. In a very few moments, the crowd was going to come out of its daze and he needed to find a defensible position. They had just cleared the edges when he heard the low, ominous growl. Grabbing the Colonel by the upper arm, he practically lifted her off her feet as he sprinted the last few yards to the side of a building. It wasn't ideal, but it would do. Leaning her up against the wall, he turned around and placed himself in front, glaring at the mob as they surged forward. Tink took a couple of swings with the shovel and then stood poised and ready.   
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
0931 Local  
  
Harm sat frozen as he watched Preston step forward. With all the dangerous situations he'd managed to walk away from, to die now seemed almost ludicrous. He stared at Trask, who was standing by the door with the other guard. If he could somehow separate them, maybe he'd have a chance. He allowed a note of outrage to creep into his voice, "Just like that? That's all you have to say? 'Kill him?' You may as well have been ordering lunch."  
  
The Reverend blinked, "Excuse me?"  
  
"You heard me," Harm snapped, "And what about Lt. Singer? You were just going to shoot me in front of her? You realize how messy that can get? At least show some concern for her feelings, what kind of gentleman are you?"  
  
By now, everyone in the room was looking at him like he was nuts. He really didn't care. Trask was a psychopath, without a doubt, but one with particular ideas and a certain twisted sense of chivalry. Harm crossed his arms over his chest and continued to glare at the Reverend. In a voice icy with disdain, he said, "I thought southern men were raised better than that."  
  
Trask's jaw clenched as his face reddened. With a sudden jerk of his hand, he growled, "Take the Lieutenant back to her quarters and stay there until I send for you."   
  
The guard had just reached for Singer's arm, when they all heard a commotion in the hallway. Moments later, a skinny, pasty-faced man burst into the room. Harm groaned to himself, he'd been so close! His attention was riveted along with the rest, when the man began to babble excitedly, "Reverend! You have to come quick! It's turning into a riot, that big guy is going berserk!"  
  
Trask regarded the man impatiently, "What are you blathering about, Humphrey?"  
  
Humphrey took a breath, "One of the patrols found the other woman and while they were bringing her here they started attracting a crowd. Some of the boys have had a little too much beer and things started getting rowdy. Then that really big guy got all excited, waded in and started swinging and now things are completely out of hand. You've got to come, Reverend! Right now!"  
  
Without another word, Trask pivoted and marched out, followed by his two guards and Humphrey. The door slammed shut and there was the sound of a bolt sliding home. Harm and Singer stared at each other.  
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
0940 Local  
  
The crowd in front milled about uncertainly, no one wanted to be the first to take the big man on. The rumbling grew louder as those in the back started pushing forward, trying to force the confrontation. Tink waited impassively, he knew at some point they would either rush him en masse or someone would realize he wasn't bulletproof.  
  
Abruptly, the mob grew quiet. Tink could see the ripple and swirl through the crowd that meant someone was coming through. Finally, Reverend Trask strode angrily into the open no-man's land between Tink and the mob, flanked by his guards. "What is the meaning of this?" he asked in a soft, deadly tone. 


	32. Part 32

Part Thirty-Two  
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
0940 Local  
  
Trask's gaze swept over the mob. The men in front were silent, most looking like they'd rather be anywhere else. He turned and looked at Tink standing stolidly in front of a slender brunette. Dust-covered and disheveled, she was leaning against the building. Trask suspected from the way she was standing, it was the only thing keeping her upright. The look on her face surprised him. It wasn't fear but rather a grim resignation, she clearly expected no quarter. Despite the circumstances, the Reverend found himself agreeing with Rabb, she was extremely attractive. That made it rather simple to deduce what had happened; in spite of Humphrey's apparent attempt to downplay the situation.  
  
Mac watched warily as the black-clad man strode into the open. Tall and lean, with dark eyes and a patrician nose, he exuded authority. Judging from the uneasy shifting and looks from the crowd, he was someone to fear as well. She had braced herself against the building Tink had chosen for their last stand. The last ten minutes had left her reeling physically and emotionally. She had tried to prepare herself for what she thought was coming, but those preparations hadn't included an attempted gang rape in the middle of a riot. The last thing she had expected was Corporal Bell to come to her rescue. Now, she did her best to hide her trepidation while she waited on the next development.  
  
Although the Reverend stood motionless, it was the deadly stillness of a predator. As the silence stretched out, the crowd began to grow restive. Still, he waited. Nerves stretched taut, more of crowd began to fidget and grumble. Trask remained as he was, ignoring the murmuring. Encouraged, the mob grew more animated until finally, two of Mac's attackers pushed their way through to stand in front of the Reverend in righteous indignation.  
  
"You hafta do somethin' bout thet big ox, Mr. Trask!" the first one said. "He's some kinda homicidal maniac! He liketa choked me to death an it was purely luck I dinn't break my neck the way he threw me! He had no cause to do us thet way, we was jes havin' a little fun. Thet big, dumb summabitch got all het up ov'r nothin! No suh! He's too damn dangerous to have around. Got no more brains than a stump an damn mean to boot! Look what he done to Steve! Laid his arm right open an concussed him too. No suh, Mr. Trask, it ain't right!" He ran out of steam and stood looking at the Reverend with a kind of hopeful self-pity. The men closest to him muttered in sympathetic agreement while glaring balefully at Tink and Mac.  
  
Trask eyed the two of them, "Where's the patrol that found the Colonel?"  
  
The two stared at each other for a moment and then Steve jerked his head towards the back, "They's back there a ways, Reverend." He pointed at Tink, "That bastard done them like he done us."   
  
Trask blinked once and then slowly turned his head towards Tink, "Did you?"  
  
Tink had been standing like he was carved from granite. He looked at the Reverend and simply said, "No."  
  
Folding his arms, Trask regarded Tink for a long moment. He quelled the loud variations of 'He's lyin' with a single look. The crowd shifted uncomfortably. "Why did you attack them?"  
  
Slowly, Tink scowled, "They were going to rape her." He shifted his gaze to the two men and let some of the anger chase across his face. They both took inadvertent steps backward.  
  
Trask nodded, "I believe you're right." He held up his hand to stop the angry protests from the mob and glanced over at his two guards. He arched an eyebrow and nodded towards the two men. Preston nodded in return, stepped forward and fired two quick bursts. The Reverend looked at the bodies and then up at the mob that was scrambling frantically backwards. The ones in front froze as they made eye contact with him. The rest slowly ground to halt when they realized the firing had stopped. Trask waited until the silence was complete. He let his gaze rove over the crowd once more and then said in clearly enunciated words, "Never lie to me."  
  
With that, he turned and smiled at Mac, "Colonel MacKenzie? Would you come with me, please?" He raised an eyebrow at Tink, "As the Colonel's self-appointed guardian, Mr. Tinker, perhaps you would give her a hand?"  
  
Mac stared at him in bewilderment and then looked at Tink as he turned towards her. He gave a slight shrug as he placed a hand under her elbow. He thought all the militia men were a little nuts, that the leader was nuttier than all the rest put together had a certain poetic justice.  
  
The Reverend gestured towards a building and then fell into step beside them. His men trailed behind. "I'm afraid we've been laboring under a misapprehension about you Colonel. Otherwise, I'm sure we would have made your acquaintance sooner."  
  
Mac concentrated on walking, the off-balance feeling was only partially physical. He'd had two men killed without blinking and he'd done it because they had lied, not because of the attempted rape. Now he was playing the genteel host? She took a deep breath to settle her nerves and then said calmly, "I'm afraid you have the advantage of me, Mr. ... ?"  
  
"I beg your pardon, ma'am. Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Reverend John Phillips Trask. The two gentlemen behind us are Mr. Preston and Mr. Harper and, of course, you've met Mr. Tinker." They reached the building and stopped. Trask glanced over his shoulder and Harper scurried forward to open the door. Gallantly gesturing for Mac to precede him, they entered the building. Talking was necessarily curtailed as they negotiated the hallway. Finally, they came to a halt in front of a closed and bolted door. Trask smiled, "I'll leave you to get freshened up, Colonel, although I must apologize in advance. The only clothes around here are uniforms, but at least they're clean. Might I request your company at lunch?" Mac nodded silently. "Good, good. I'll leave you then. I'm afraid work just piles up when I'm away from my desk." He looked at Tink, "Why don't you stay here and help keep watch? I suspect the boys are a tad exercised about you at the moment. We'll give them a couple of hours to cool down."  
  
Tink said equably, "Okay, Mr. Trask." He paused for a moment and then said uncertainly, "What do I do?" Mac stifled a smile, Tyler had been right. Bell's performance as a slow-witted giant was award-winning.  
  
Trask smiled benignly, while behind him, Preston and Harper rolled their eyes, "You just watch and make sure no one goes in or out of the room. Harper will be happy to give you a hand... " He raised his voice slightly, "... won't you, Mr. Harper?" Startled, Harper hurriedly said yes. "Well then, why don't you open the door for the Colonel?" He smiled apologetically at Mac with a slight shrug, "I look forward to lunch, ma'am." With that, he went back down the hallway, trailed by Preston. Harper unbolted the door and with a curt motion, gestured her inside.   
  
Harm pivoted towards the door when he heard the bolt slide back. He gestured for Singer to stand behind him. Realistically, there wasn't much he could do but it was automatic to try to protect those under his command. Later, when he thought about it, he realized he shouldn't have been shocked. In the back of his mind, he knew it was a definite possibility - knowledge that hadn't helped in the least. Unfortunately, his first words when he saw Mac were, 'Goddammit, what the hell is the matter with you?!' He stared morosely at a spot on the wall. It might not have been that bad if he'd stopped there, but no, he'd kept right on ranting. Some of it was probably caused by the stress of having almost been killed himself, but he just couldn't seem to stop. In the end, it had been Singer, of all people, who'd finally gotten him to shut up. Through all of it, Mac had just stood there, never saying a word.   
  
In the silence following his tirade, she'd quietly asked Singer to give her a hand and both women had disappeared into the bathroom. Shortly afterward, he'd heard the shower. It had gone off a little while ago, eventually they would have to come out. On one level, he desperately wanted to see Mac again so he could try to apologize. On another, he wasn't sure he was ready to face them. Apparently, he had transcended mundane male stupidity and caused detente between the two in defense of gender. He was toast.  
  
Singer leaned against the sink and waited for the Colonel to finish her shower. If she lived to be a hundred, she would never figure these two out. She'd been more relieved than surprised when MacKenzie had walked through that door. Harm's initial outburst hadn't really shocked her, they were obviously best friends, so it was understandable that his worry would make him snappish. It was when he didn't stop that she finally became irritated in her own right. Typical male, busily belaboring the point without any apparent thought of the consequences or of the effect of his words. Also typically male, the Colonel's appearance apparently failed to register as well. It was obvious, to Lauren at least, that MacKenzie's arrival hadn't been without incident. In the end, in as venomous a tone as she could muster, she'd told him to shut up. To her everlasting surprise, he had. When the Colonel had asked for her assistance, she'd been happy to get out of the way of any possible repercussions.  
  
Lauren had never put a whole lot of credence in the rumor mill concerning these two. But then, she seldom believed anything she didn't verify herself. It didn't stop her from making a mental note to keep her eyes and ears open in case of inappropriate behavior, but so far, nothing had turned up that would help her. With everything that had happened lately, Singer was reassessing her disbelief of the stories of their past exploits together. One thing she was sure of, if the Admiral ever suggested she work with these two again on an investigation, she would step in front of a oncoming bus. It would be infinitely safer. Lauren paused and blinked, when had she started thinking they would survive this? Her train of thought was interrupted when the shower finally turned off. She picked up a towel and handed it over when the Colonel pushed the shower curtain aside.  
  
Mac stood motionless under the showerhead and let the water cascade over her. One never appreciated the amenities until forced to do without. She felt like she'd been wearing half the state of Mississippi. Too bad she couldn't rinse the aches and pains away as easily. Resolutely, she veered away from this latest incident with Harm. Dealing with that on top of the attempted rape was more than she could bear at the moment. The reality of how close it had been was finally hitting home. What she wanted to do was curl up in a ball somewhere and cry herself silly. That wasn't going to happen, so all she could do was suck it up and keep moving. If they managed to get through this, it would be one more thing for her therapist to deal with. Mac sighed, she was going to have to put that poor woman on retainer. Singer's support had come as a surprise but she wasn't about to look a gift Lieutenant in the mouth. She needed help getting cleaned up and a willing Singer was a helluva lot better than a surly one.  
  
She reached over and turned off the shower. Mac had expected something a little more primitive but the Lieutenant told her that this building had been originally built as a bed and breakfast type establishment for visiting sportsmen. The venture had gone nowhere and the Reverend had acquired the property for taxes. He used it as the nucleus for his militia camp. Lauren had gotten her information from Koslov. It had been the one less-than-derogatory thing he'd had to say about Trask. Mac shivered involuntarily, Koslov's death would have left her relieved if not for the growing fear of the Reverend. The man was crazy.  
  
Pulling the shower curtain open, Mac accepted the towel Lauren offered and gingerly began drying herself off. There were several new bruises and abrasions to add to the collection. The slash on her side had split open here and there, but it was minor and definitely on the mend. Right now her major source of pain was the broken collarbone. She was beginning to think there was a contest going on to see how often she could thump that shoulder into the ground. It ached abominably. There'd been a small first aid kit in the cabinet under the sink. They'd used the solitary Ace bandage to try to immobilize her shoulder again. It wasn't much, but it was something. With the Lieutenant's help, she climbed into the clean clothes. They made her feel nearly human. Flashing Singer a brief smile of gratitude, Mac mentally braced herself and walked back into the room.  
  
Harm turned around when he heard the bathroom door open. Mac came out first. It looked like Lauren had found clothing that fit among the stack of uniforms that had been dropped off earlier for their use. He watched her nervously, trying to gauge how angry she might be and realized she was regarding him equally warily. Singer contented herself with laying back a safe distance and glaring. Harm stepped forward, knowing Mac, it would be up to him to make the first move. It was going to be difficult enough because he was also going to have to be careful of what he said in front of Singer. That definitely killed one method of apology. Taking a deep breath, he spread his hands and started, "Mac... " 


	33. Part 33

Part Thirty-Three  
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
1030 Local  
  
She stood silently, watching him. Harm faltered a moment. There was so much he wanted to say, needed to say... how to start? 'Just get the damn words out, Rabb!', he silently berated himself. "Mac... , " he started again, "I was so out of line earlier, I don't even know where to start apologizing." He glanced down at his feet, "I shouldn't have been surprised and you sure as hell didn't deserve to be yelled at like that. I, of all people, should have known exactly what a stubborn, kick-ass marine would do in a situation like this." He looked back up a trifle anxiously and tried a small smile. God help him if she was really pissed.   
  
Mac looked at him and sighed. She had every right to be angry - and he was quite right, he should have known. On the other hand, while groveling was good for a man's soul, she didn't know if she had the energy for a prolonged discussion. With a ghost of a smile, Mac said quietly, "Damn straight, you should have known."  
  
Harm slowly let out a relieved breath, she had decided to let him off lightly. "Look, why don't we all sit down?" Closing the distance between them, he gestured towards the chairs and stopped in surprise when she flinched. "Mac?" he asked, not quite sure what he'd seen. He became a little more concerned when he realized she had drifted out of reach without answering him. Once again, he closed the distance. "Mac?" he asked again, looking at her closely. 'What the hell?' She'd backed away again, her expression was fast becoming unreadable. Determined, Harm followed after until her back thumped into the wall. "C'mon Mac, what's wrong? You're scaring me." She stood in tense silence and then, to his consternation, began to laugh.  
  
Part of her stood there horrified, but she couldn't seem to stop. She thought she'd had the everything firmly suppressed, to be dealt with at a later date. She just hadn't had time to solidify her defenses and Harm, in his persistent concern, had inadvertently cracked them wide open. "I'm scaring you?" she managed to get out, "Oh god Harm, you've been hanging out in all the wrong places." Mac wrapped her good arm around herself and struggled for some semblance of control. She drew a shuddering breath, "Forget about scared, stick with me and I'll jump you right into terrified."  
  
Harm stood silently, just out of arm's reach, his forehead creased with worry. Mac shot a quick look at a wide-eyed Singer and then focused again on Harm. "You know, there are times when having an internal clock just sucks," she said in a near whisper. "Wanna know why?"   
  
Harm stared at her, a sense of dread growing. "Mac?"  
  
She continued like she hadn't heard him, "Because I always know precisely when something's happened, I hardly have to think about it... I know that thirty-seven hours, eight minutes and sixteen seconds ago, I locked the doors to the Memphis JAG offices. And that twenty hours, forty-seven minutes and thirty-two seconds ago, the militia caught you and Lauren. And that forty-nine minutes and forty-three seconds ago, I was the center attraction in the middle of a goddamn riot. Three guys held me spread-eagle on the ground while the fourth bastard told me, and a very appreciative audience, just exactly what he was going to do - in very colorful terms." By now, she was holding herself rigidly upright.  
  
Aghast, Harm breathed, "Oh my god..."  
  
Mac shook her head, "No, no, no, This is where it gets good. Just like a story... I was rescued by Tinker Bell." She started laughing again, "Can you believe it? Saved by the Bell? He came through that crowd like a freight train. Of course, then it was him against a lot of angry, frustrated men. They didn't get their show... " Her breath caught as the tears started, and then Harm had his arms around her. She buried herself in his chest, one hand tightly wrapped in his shirt.  
  
Harm stood with her head tucked under his chin and closed his eyes. He was amazed she'd even let him do this for her after he'd been such an ass. He stood there for a minute, then opened his eyes and looked over at Singer. She was staring at the two of them, looking as shocked as he felt. Apparently, Mac hadn't shared any details while she was getting cleaned up. Softly, he said, "What happened? Is Tink all right?"  
  
Mac shifted a bit, not yet relinquishing her hold, "He's fine. Reverend Trask appeared." She felt Harm tense and looked up at him, "Harm?"  
  
"A little later, Mac... what did Trask do?" he said quietly, carefully tightening his embrace when he felt her shudder.  
  
"He executed two of the would-be rapists right there."   
  
His softly vehement 'Good!' startled her for a moment. Mac took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. She was shaking again. "Oh god, Harm, he didn't do it because of what they had tried to do. He did it because they lied to him about Tink and what they had done. He's crazy as hell."  
  
Harm managed a rueful chuckle, "You're telling me? I've been trying to deal with him for the last... umm... twenty hours and forty-seven minutes." He heard a muffled 'fifty-five minutes' and smiled. He rested his cheek on top of her head and said softly, "As much as I enjoy holding you like this, you probably ought to sit down. Think you can make it to the couch?" He felt Mac nod and slowly began unwrapping his arms from around her. Together they made their way across the room to the couch and Harm settled her in the righthand corner. Then he snagged a chair and positioned himself close by. He gestured for Singer to come over and sit down as well.  
  
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. Focusing on a spot on the floor, he said carefully, "Please don't take this the wrong way, but this is the last place I wanted to see you. It's dangerous enough for us, but you... "  
  
"Harm, I know what they have planned," Mac interrupted.   
  
His head came up and he stared at her in surprise, he took a deep breath, "Then have you completely lost your mind? You should be as far from here as possible."  
  
Mac looked back at him calmly. It wasn't hard, the last twelve minutes had left her drained. "And then what? They substitute Lauren for me? How exactly do you think I could live with that? I had to come back, for both your sakes." She looked down, absently rubbing a thumb across the back of her hand, "I knew you were running out of time and that I needed to be here." Something clicked into place and she looked up sharply, "Trask was about to kill you for lying about me, wasn't he?" Singer's quick intake of breath was all the confirmation she needed.  
  
Harm stared at her in exasperation, how the hell did she do that? He waved a hand in dismissal, "I had a plan." Lauren snorted and then subsided when he flashed her a look.  
  
Mac looked at him skeptically, "Did the plan include bleeding?" She'd seen him houdini his way out of a lot of dangerous situations, but Trask seemed unpredictable as hell.  
  
He ignored the question, "Do you expect me to sit here and let you sacrifice yourself? For that matter, what's to stop the dear Reverend from selling both of you and killing me anyway?" He stopped for a moment as another thought occurred to him, "How the hell did you get Perez to go along with this?"  
  
She smiled briefly, "I didn't, I talked Gunny Walters into it." She watched twin expressions of confusion appear on Harm and Lauren's faces. "Give me a little credit for mission planning. Ensign Tyler had your cellphone, Harm. He contacted the Admiral and told him what was going on. He and Gunny Walters flew in yesterday and then came down here. Incredible as it seems, we all managed to find each other. Right now, the Admiral, Perez and Tyler are running some reconnaissance. The Feds are on the way. We just have to hang on until they show."  
  
Harm looked at her incredulously, "Admiral Chegwidden is here?" His gaze narrowed, "He doesn't know you're here, does he?"  
  
Mac glanced away for a moment, "He probably does by now."  
  
"You had Walters tell him?! Good god, Mac, why not hand the Gunny a match and have him play in a dynamite factory? I thought you liked the man!" He shook his head and then stared at her, "We're not looking at Willful Disobedience, are we?"  
  
She managed to look indignant, "I was never ordered to stay away from the militia camp."  
  
Harm gazed upward and sighed. All that meant was that: A. No one thought she'd be able to physically make the trek; and B. They'd underestimated her in the stubborn department. Again. He glanced down to see Mac looking at him with one eyebrow raised. He raised his hands, "Fine. So, all we have to do is wait?"  
  
Vicinity of Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
1014 Local  
  
Walters cautiously scanned the area around him. He had made about half the circuit of the camp from where he'd left the Colonel. He grimaced to himself, no matter how logical her reasons, he should have gone with her into the camp. She was a good marine and he knew from personal experience just how tough she could be; but when all was said and done, she would be one woman in a camp full of undisciplined men. He gave himself another mental kick, if anything happened he wouldn't be able to forgive himself - not that there'd be much left after Rabb and Chegwidden got through with him.  
  
Suddenly, his scalp prickled. Without a second thought, he threw himself to one side, rolling and coming up behind a tree with pistol drawn. His gaze swept the area, looking for the threat. It took him a moment and then he spotted Perez in the brush, gesturing to his right. Cautiously, he peered around the trunk. Two militia men had just entered a clearing about twenty-five yards away. He nodded to Perez and the two marines faded from view. Twenty minutes later, the militia men were safely out of sight. Perez rose out of the leaves and made his way over to Walters' position.  
  
"What are you doing here, Gunny? Where's the Colonel?" he asked quietly, motioning for Walters to follow him.  
  
Walters hesitated, this was going to be harder than he thought. Finally, he said, "I need to see the Admiral. The Colonel surrendered herself to the militia."  
  
Perez whirled around so fast, he almost ran into the Gunny, "Son of a bitch! She did what?! Where the hell were you??"  
  
Gunny held himself stiffly, "I was following orders and coming to find the Admiral. With all due respect, sir, could we wait until we're with the Admiral? I'd rather not go through this twice."  
  
Perez glared at Walters for a long moment and then gave him a wry smile, "She's persuasive as hell, isn't she? Must be a damn good attorney." Walters agreed with a nod and a sigh. Chegwidden was going to kill him. Fifteen minutes later, they were in a copse of trees at the top of a small rise. In the distance, Gunny could see a gravel road wending its way to a large storage structure.  
  
Chegwidden looked up when he heard the soft murmur of voices. Tyler was keeping watch while he'd been sketching a layout of the camp in a large patch of dirt, marking possible approaches. He was waiting for Perez, he needed to send him back for Walters and Mac. He stood up, brushing the dirt from his pants and waited. His eyebrows rose in surprise when he saw Gunny Walters with Tyler and Perez. They lowered ominously when he realized Mac wasn't with them.  
  
"Gunnery Sergeant!" His low, intense tone stopped all three in their tracks. Gunny squared his shoulders and marched resolutely up to the Admiral and stopped at attention. Chegwidden glared at him and said softly, "Where is she?" 


	34. Part 34

Part Thirty-Four  
  
Vicinity of Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
1108 Local  
  
Chegwidden glared at him and said softly, "Where is she?"  
  
In an equally quiet voice, Walters said, "Sir... ", he stopped for a moment, and then started again. "Sir, the Colonel is in the militia camp. She... "   
  
Suddenly, Chegwidden was in his face. Walters tried not to wince, the Old Man's eyes were boring a hole right through his skull. AJ repeated carefully, "The Colonel is in the militia camp? How the hell did that happen?!" Although the level of his voice never rose, the increasing intensity was peeling off layers of skin.  
  
"Sir, the Colonel believed Commander Rabb and Lieutenant Singer to be in imminent danger and she was equally adamant that it would take her presence to prevent it." Gunny maintained his rigid posture, "I told the Colonel it was too dangerous and that I couldn't let her go to the camp."  
  
AJ stared at him, "And... ?"  
  
Walters shifted ever so slightly, "She said that unless I had orders to physically restrain her, to stop wasting her time and get out of her way."  
  
The Admiral blinked. "She was on her feet?" Gunny nodded, wondering if a light had just appeared at the end of the tunnel. Chegwidden clasped his hands behind his back and tilted his head to the side, "How are you feeling, Gunnery Sergeant?"  
  
'Damn!' Gunny stifled a groan, "Fine, sir." AJ Chegwidden was about to become Hell-on-Wheels and there he was, standing on the tracks.   
  
"And just how steady was Colonel MacKenzie on her feet?" AJ rocked back and forth, gathering steam.  
  
"Not very, sir." Gunny said dismally. Impact should be occurring at any moment...  
  
"And you didn't feel confident enough to stop a woman who was half your size and apparently still feeling the effects of her injuries?"  
  
Gunny flinched and repeated, "Sir, she told me to stand aside; she wasn't going to let anything happen to the Commander and Lieutenant when she could prevent it." This was gonna hurt...  
  
"So you stood aside?" Gunny nodded slowly. Then Chegwidden was back in his face, "Did it ever occur to you that her mental state might have been a little precarious as well? No? Well, how about this? A TWO-STAR BEATS A LT. COLONEL WHEN IT COMES TO ORDERS!! WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!" Walters resisted the urge to squeeze his eyes shut. Once again, the Admiral managed to boost the intensity into the stratosphere without increasing volume. He felt another layer of skin peel away. 'Please let it stop here... '  
  
AJ glared at the Gunny, "How do you know she made it to the militia camp? Did you follow her?"  
  
Damn, damn, damn. "Not exactly, sir." Gunny hedged, cautiously. The Admiral's eyebrows went up and then came crashing down. Walters sighed, "I gave her a hand, sir, helped her get close enough to go the rest of the way alone. I tried to argue her out of it one more time and then I offered to go with her. She said she had to go in and that she didn't want them to know anyone else was out here. Then she told me to find you and let you know what she'd done." He fell silent, vaguely wondering what Antarctica was like this time of year and if he'd go there as a Marine or a sled dog replacement.  
  
Chegwidden stared at the Gunny before turning abruptly and beginning to pace. Son of a bitch! Ultimately, this was his fault. He knew she was becoming agitated about something and he hadn't taken appropriate steps. He didn't think she'd disobey a direct order although she would and could shoehorn herself through any loophole she could find. Of course, once that Marine green sense of duty kicked in, all bets were off. Especially where Rabb was concerned. Goddammit! Mac seldom indulged in hare-brained schemes on her own. Usually, she tagged along with the Commander, providing a logical, steadying influence. Her disciplined, in-control persona was so taken for granted by the people around her, that the occasional wild hair wasn't recognized for what it was. He stopped pacing and glanced around the clearing. Tyler and Perez had prudently withdrawn from the kill zone. He looked at Walters, still standing at attention and sighed.  
  
Leaving Walters to keep an eye on her had also been a mistake. Mac had already had a good working relationship with the Gunny and they had developed even more of a rapport during the 'Archangel' case. AJ knew the Gunny would do whatever was necessary to protect her. What he'd forgotten was that Walters would also walk in front of bus if she asked. He smiled wryly to himself, in effect, she had.   
  
AJ walked back and stood in front of Walters again. He glared a little longer and then said, "When all this is over, Gunny, and we're back at JAG - you, me and the Colonel are going to have a little chat." He turned back to his sketch of the militia camp. Looking over his shoulder, he said, "Come here and put in your two cents' worth." With a sigh of relief, Walters hurried over.  
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
1130 Local  
  
Harm glanced over at the couch. He had convinced Mac to lie down and try to rest. She had an arm thrown across her eyes, but he couldn't tell if she had managed to fall asleep. He turned back and looked at Singer. The knowledge that help was on the way had done quite a bit for her morale. That, and the fact that she wouldn't be substituted for Mac, Harm thought dryly. Still, it didn't lessen the danger they were all in. They would have to survive long enough for the Feds to reach them - a definite problem.   
  
He wouldn't put it past Trask or even Preston to try and take them out at the first sign of assault by Gov't. forces. Their ace in the hole was Cpl. Bell, but even he couldn't do that much single-handed. Harm sighed and rubbed at his temples. What they needed was either an impregnable position where they could wait out an attack or a defensible position and the arms to defend it. Neither showed much chance of showing up.  
  
"Sir?" Lauren asked, Rabb had become increasingly pensive as time went on. Singer wasn't so naive as to think that everything was automatically going to fall into place and give them a happy ending. She was just hoping to escape with her life. For once, being the junior officer wasn't such a bad thing. Both Rabb and MacKenzie were as concerned with her well-being as their own. It was still incomprehensible to her that the Colonel walked back into this of her own free will. That took guts... or a commendable lack of brains, Lauren couldn't decide which. She refocused her attention when Rabb finally dropped his hands and looked at her.  
  
"Yes, Lieutenant?"  
  
"Do you think they'll try to kill us as soon as they know the Feds are here?" Personally, she thought they'd be stupid not to. Deniability was always easier when the witnesses were corpses. She wasn't even sure why she bothered asking the question unless it was some small sliver of hope that the Commander really could pull a rabbit out of the hat and save them all.  
  
Harm leaned back and rubbed his neck. There was really no reason to sugarcoat anything. Stupidity was not one of Singer's flaws, she probably knew just as well as he did what the answer to that question was. That left the distinct possibility that she was looking to assauge the very human need for reassurance. "I imagine they'll try, Lieutenant." He gave her a grin, "We'll just have to see to it that they don't succeed."  
  
Singer found herself smiling back. He was offering platitudes and she knew it, but his easy confidence was contagious. She began to think they would get out of this.  
  
There was a perfunctory knock and then the door opened to reveal Preston. He strode into the room and pointed to a now upright Mac, "The Reverend is expecting you for lunch, Colonel." Harm noticed that she looked a little groggy, apparently she had managed to fall asleep. He started to step forward and then froze when Preston's automatic weapon casually swung towards him. "Just the Colonel this time, Commander." Harm glared at him for a moment, he didn't like this at all, and then swung back to see if Mac needed a hand. He helped her up and then kept a hand under her elbow. He scowled at Preston and said, "She's going to need some help." He lightly squeezed her elbow when she opened her mouth to speak. She turned it into a slight cough and gave him a quizzical glance.  
  
Preston stared for a moment and then, without taking his eyes off them, called over his shoulder, "Tinker!" Mac's eyes widened for just a moment and then she stood impassively as Tink filled the doorway.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Preston?" Tink paid no attention to anyone in the room.  
  
He gestured towards Mac, "Escort the Colonel to her lunch with the Reverend. She needs some help."  
  
"Okay, Mr. Preston." The big man walked up to Mac. He looked at Harm who silently backed away and then wrapped a hand around Mac's elbow, "C'mon, ma'am."  
  
They arrived at the dining room a short time later. Trask was already there, he looked at Preston, "So good of you to join me, Mr. Preston. I've been waiting." Mac was surprised to see Preston flinch, she thought he was unflappable.  
  
Not quite sure why, Mac spoke up, "I apologize, Reverend. It was my fault, I'm not moving as quickly as I would like."  
  
Trask glared at her for just a moment and then broke into a wide smile. He came forward and bowed gallantly, "I am so pleased you could join me for lunch, Colonel. I hope you are feeling better?"  
  
Mac nodded cautiously.  
  
"Very good! And might I add that on such a beauty as yourself, even our uniforms look attractive. Please, have a seat." He held her chair and seated her. Turning, he looked at Preston and Tink and dismissed them with an abrupt gesture. As always, as soon as he was seated, the two orderlies began filling the table with food. When they were finished, Trask smiled at Mac again, "Wine, Colonel?"  
  
Mac shook her head, "No thank you, Reverend. I don't drink."  
  
Trask's eyebrows rose in surprise, "Truly? Well, would you prefer sweet tea or perhaps some lemonade?" He snapped his fingers and an orderly appeared.  
  
"Tea, thank you." The orderly silently disappeared and returned several minutes later with a glass and a pitcher of tea.  
  
"Ahhh, Colonel?" Mac looked over to see the Reverend looking apologetic. "I hope you won't think it too forward of me if I take the liberty of preparing your plate?" He gestured towards her arm, "I imagine that makes it awkward to do a number of things."  
  
Mac smiled at him, "That's very kind of you." She was doing her best to appear relaxed but she found the Reverend unnerving.  
  
Trask waved a hand, "Always a pleasure to serve a lovely lady." He held out a hand and Mac passed her plate to him, "You just let me know what you'd like, although I'd recommend the catfish. The chef works wonders with it." He kept up a steady stream of chat as he filled her dish and then presented it with a flourish. He reseated and quickly served himself, then smiled at Mac, gesturing with a fork, "Please, Colonel. Enjoy." He leaned forward and in a stage whisper said, "If you don't, you'll hurt my chef's feelings and I'll have burnt toast for the next week."   
  
Suppressing her feelings of unease, Mac smiled and began to eat. Trask curtailed his conversation to inquiring if she was enjoying her meal and suggesting other dishes to try. At last , he pushed himself back from the table with a contented sigh. He looked over at Mac who had finished a few moments earlier. She was fidgeting just a little. "Colonel? Is something the matter?"  
  
Mac looked a trifle embarrassed, "I didn't realize how I was sitting, apparently, my feet feel like they're asleep." She wiggled her toes trying to dispel the tingling feeling.  
  
"I see," Trask smiled pleasantly. "I'm afraid I owe you an apology for deceiving you. I thought this would be the least stressful way and I have to admit I was wondering how it would work." Mac stared at him. He gestured towards her plate, "Most of your food has been laced with an animal tranquilizer." He looked thoughtful, "I hope we didn't overdo it. That would be embarrassing."  
  
Horrified, Mac tried to push away from the table. Trask reached a long arm across the table and clamped a hand around her wrist. She couldn't feel her feet anymore and she couldn't tell if the chill she was feeling through the rest of her body was the tranquilizer or just terror. "You bastard!" she forced out. A moment later, she was on the floor, her ears ringing. Her cheek stung where he had hit her although she noted vaguely that she couldn't feel her shoulder anymore.  
  
Trask squatted on his heels next to her and waved a finger, "That was impolite, Colonel. I did this for your own good. The buyers' representatives arrived early and I know how stressful it can be when you have to leave your old life behind and embark on a whole new one. This will make it easier on all concerned and, of course... "  
  
Mac didn't hear anymore as her eyes finally closed. 


	35. Part 35

Part Thirty-Five  
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
1255 Local  
  
Tink watched Preston disappear into the dining room from where he was leaning against the wall. Hopefully, it wouldn't be too much longer. He wouldn't mind getting something to eat himself and he'd feel a lot better getting the Colonel back with Rabb and Singer. He still wasn't sure what he could do, but whatever he came up with would be easier if they were all together. He broke off his musing when Preston reappeared in the doorway and motioned him over.  
  
He followed Preston into the dining room and stopped in shock. The Colonel was sprawled on the floor, her eyes closed. He looked with wide eyes at Trask who was sitting in a nearby chair, "Is she dead?"  
  
The Reverend smiled reassuringly, "No, no, Tinker. She's just asleep." He gestured behind him and Tink noticed with a start that there were several men in dark suits on the far side of the room. "These gentlemen are going to make sure she's taken good care of. Would you be so kind as to carry the Colonel for them?"  
  
He nodded dumbly. Oh god! He knew who these guys were. He shuffled forward and knelt down to gather the Colonel carefully in his arms. Standing up again, he looked at Trask. The Reverend motioned towards the men, "Follow them, Tinker." Tink nodded again and slowly walked across the room.  
  
Vicinity of Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
1225 Local  
  
AJ ended the phone call and looked at his ad hoc guerrilla force. "The Feds are about twenty-five minutes out. They'll be coming in the gravel road by the storage building and they'll be in military trucks. Hopefully, whoever sees them will assume they're another shipment. What we're going to do is clear a path through the patrols and get as close to the camp as possible without raising alarms." They had been carefully mapping patrol routes and times. The militia men hadn't deviated from their routine and from what they could observe, a number of the men didn't do much more than walk and chat with each other. There was a small percentage that actually took their job seriously. AJ was hoping to get them first. Remarkably, and Tyler had shadowed a patrol almost from start to finish, they didn't check in with anyone while they were out.   
  
The part of the plan AJ didn't like was that the assault would come in from only one side. Unfortunately, they just didn't have the manpower to coordinate a pincer movement. That meant there was a good chance they'd miss half these guys. The random factor was going to be a lot higher than he'd like. Of course, his primary goal was to get his people back and in one piece. They'd just have to deal with the chaos. AJ sighed a little, he'd done his best to impress upon SA Ramos the necessity of keeping gunplay to a minimum. He wished he knew how good their fire discipline was. He gave himself a mental shake, time to get moving.  
  
Chegwidden looked at Walters and nodded. Then he looked at Perez and Tyler, "Gentlemen, synchronize your watches." He gave them the countdown, "All right, radios working?" There were affirmative nods, AJ had decided the benefit of coordinating their moves outweighed the possibility of being overheard on the little handhelds. He smiled grimly, "Let's go get our people back." Perez and Tyler gave brief smiles in return and headed out. AJ looked at the Gunny and raised an eyebrow, "Shall we go see the Colonel?" Walters winced slightly and nodded. They headed out as well.  
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
1300 Local  
  
Harm checked his watch again as he paced. Singer watched him, "Sir, I'm sure everything's fine. They're just eating lunch. You know what a production Trask makes out of meals."  
  
Harm ran a hand through his hair, "Yeah, I know. I've just got the worse feeling about Mac being alone with that guy."  
  
Singer looked at him, aghast, "You don't think he'd... "  
  
He sighed, "No, I don't think he'd do anything like that. But the guy's crazy as a loon and that Preston is a goddamn sociopath. Mac's in no shape to defend herself."  
  
"She's got Tink on her side, sir."  
  
"I guess that's something, but he's unarmed. If she has any say in the matter, Mac won't let him sacrifice himself." Harm dropped onto the couch in frustration, "Dammit, how long does it take to eat lunch?" He slouched forward, staring at the floor and they lapsed into silence.   
  
Several minutes later, Harm's head snapped up and he looked quickly at Singer. She was sitting tensely upright. "Did you hear that?" She nodded. "That's automatic weapon fire, the Feds are here!" He shot to his feet and headed for the door. He was almost there when it flew open and a wide-eyed Harper appeared, staring at him in surprise. Harm didn't hesitate, picked up speed and launched himself into the man even as Harper was bringing his weapon to bear. Harm hit him in the midsection, the momentum carried them across the hallway. Slamming into the far wall, Harm buried his shoulder in the man's solar plexus, throwing his weight into it. Harper's eyes bulged as he slid to the floor, his mouth working soundlessly. He barely registered Harm grabbing him by the shirtfront and hauling him up to smash a fist into his jaw. Harper collapsed in a heap and Harm quickly dragged him into the room.   
  
Singer, who had followed Harm to the doorway, snatched up Harper's weapon while hurriedly checking up and down the hall. She glanced back to see the Commander trussing up the guard with the cord from the window blinds and then resumed her watch. A minute later, Harm appeared at her side. She looked at him, "We go to find the Colonel?" He nodded and Singer handed over the machine pistol. She always had a hard time controlling those types of weapons, she'd wait for a handgun. Outside, the sound of gunfire was spreading and growing. They hurried down the hallway to the dining area.  
  
Stopping outside the door, Harm checked to make sure Singer was behind him. He put his finger to his lips and then held up three fingers. Singer nodded silently. On the count of three, Harm burst through the door, keeping low to the ground. The lone orderly who was clearing the table, dropped the dishes he was holding in surprise. In moments, Harm had closed the distance between them. He pinned the orderly to the wall with a forearm across his throat and the muzzle of the gun shoved into his ribs. "Where's Colonel MacKenzie?" he growled, an almost feral glint in his eye.  
  
"Commander!" Singer called a warning. Harm spun with the orderly in front of him. A second orderly stood in the far doorway, looking shocked. They remained frozen, staring at each other and then the second orderly turned and bolted. With an oath, Harm took off after him, shoving the first man along in front. Singer followed, keeping an eye behind them. They paused for just a moment at the door and then Harm pushed through with the orderly screaming frantically, "Don't Shoot! Don't Shoot!"  
  
There was a brief silence and then gunfire erupted. The orderly's body jerked spasmodically as the slugs hit. Harm returned fire in short bursts and then, just as suddenly it began, it ended. Cautiously, he let the orderly's body slip to the ground. Gesturing for Singer to keep low, he carefully moved forward into the kitchen area. There were two bodies behind the counters. The first had been hit in the chest, there was a hole the size of his fist all the way through. Swallowing, he moved to the next and stood for a second, perplexed. The second man had been hit in the back, although he had died facing the doorway. Harm looked back at the first body and realized that the man's hand must have tightened convulsively on the way down. He'd shot his own man as he died.  
  
Harm reached down and pried the 9mm pistol from the second man's hand. Straightening, he tossed it to Singer. She looked at him and asked, "Now what?"  
  
His hand tightening on the grip of the machine pistol, Harm said tersely, "Keep looking."  
  
Singer was equally succinct, although the ramifications were potentially more devastating, "Where?"  
  
Just Outside Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
1250 Local  
  
Tyler braced against a tree and tried to keep an eye on two places at once. The Federal agents had been arriving by twos and threes. Capt. Perez was dealing with them, while he kept an eye towards the camp and tried to watch the Feds, too. He'd gotten off on the wrong foot with them almost immediately. The first pair had wanted to blow his brains out, if Perez hadn't shown up, it would've gotten ugly. Then they'd turned condescending, convinced that the only reason he was still alive was because Perez was holding his hand. Consequently, he couldn't tell them anything. He was worried about Tink. These guys would take one look at the big man and start shooting, never mind finding out who he might be. Finally, he pushed off and went to find the Captain. He had an idea and he hoped Perez would be receptive.  
  
Perez wished for a moment that his hair was little longer so he could get a better grip while tearing it out. What he wouldn't give for an equal number of Marines. He was having a hard time convincing the Asst. Special Agent in Charge that infantry tactics were called for. They had their own methods to deal with these situations and they weren't open to changes. And some of the Feds didn't like taking orders from a Jarhead, especially one that looked like a homeless wetback. His first problem had been keeping the first two Feds from shooting Tyler. They thought they'd turned the tables on a militia ambush. Then the jackasses had begun treating Tyler like he was twelve. He wondered how the Admiral was faring with his group. They were staging in two areas on the northeast side of the camp. Somehow, he didn't think the agents would be as apt to cross Chegwidden. He glanced over and saw Tyler approaching, looking rather determined. "What do you need, Pick?" he asked, ignoring the smirk on a nearby agent.  
  
"Sir, I was wondering if you had a minute to listen to an idea I had." Tyler said quietly. Damn, Perez looked like he was ready to dismember someone.   
  
They stepped to one side and the Captain listened intently. Tyler laid out his plans quickly and waited hopefully while Perez thought it over. Finally, he nodded, "Okay, Pick. You'd better hurry, though, we'll be moving soon. We can't delay." He watched Tyler lope off through the trees with a twinge of envy. He turned to find the ASAC standing near him.  
  
The man nodded towards Tyler's retreating figure, "Probably a good idea to get the kid out of the way. It could get hairy during the assault."  
  
That did it for Perez. Suddenly he was in the ASAC's face. "That OFFICER has already successfully infiltrated the militia camp twice," he flared. "He's done most of the reconnaissance that has made this operation possible. He's already saved my life once and there's no one I would rather have as my back-up!" Perez pivoted and stalked off. The assault couldn't start soon enough.  
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
1300 Local  
  
Tink followed the men out of the building, Trask and Preston trailed behind. His mind was racing, there was no way he could allow them to take the Colonel out of the camp. Once that happened, they'd never find her. If he didn't do this right, they'd both die. On the other hand, dying might be a viable option if there was no other way to keep them from taking her. What these bastards had planned would be worse than death for the Colonel.   
  
They walked between several buildings until they came to a white cargo van. One of the men continued forward to open the doors in the back. The rest stopped and waited for Trask and Preston to catch up. Tink stopped as well. He looked down at the woman he was carrying. He was becoming increasingly worried about her. Mac's face was pale and he thought her breathing was becoming labored. He wished he knew what they had given her.  
  
Reaching the group, Trask smiled at Tink and then turned to the apparent leader. "I believe it is time for my renumeration." The man gestured, and a fifth man got out of the passenger side of the van. He was carrying a briefcase. He walked over and Trask motioned for Preston to take it. The Reverend waited, smiling benignly, while Preston checked the contents. He raised an eyebrow and Preston nodded. Trask looked at Tink, "Take her to the van, Tinker." He turned his attention to the leader and began to chat.  
  
Sweating, Tink made his way to the back of the van. This would be his best opportunity and it wasn't very good. He was just about to the van when a barrage of shots was heard. As all heads turned towards the sound, Tink made his move. Closing the distance to the man waiting by the van, he hauled back and kicked him hard in the ribs. Before the man had hit the ground, Tink was off and running. He headed for the buildings closest to the gunfire, trying to keep the van between himself and the others. He heard Trask yelling angrily and then the shooting began. Tink had just made the alley next to the first building when bullets splattered into the corner. He stumbled for a brief moment, it felt like someone had punched him in the back. He kept running. 


	36. Part 36

Part Thirty-Six  
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
1305 Local  
  
Tyler had just gotten to his insertion point when he heard the shooting begin. Swearing a little under his breath, he sprinted to the back of a building. Reaching his goal, he took a quick look around. It was still clear. He could hear the gunfire growing more intense. Cautiously, he made his way to the corner and peered around. The militia camp was in an uproar. A number of men were streaming towards the shooting, weapons in hand, an equal number was obviously fleeing. All of them, it seemed, found it necessary to do everything at the top of their lungs. He'd taken off his fatigue shirt earlier, leaving his t-shirt. He didn't look much different than a lot of the men running around. Taking a deep breath, he took a firmer grip on the riotgun and joined the crowd.  
  
No one paid any attention as he jostled his way through. He was counting on Tink's immense size to make it easier to spot him. He worked his way away from the shooting, anxiously scanning in all directions. Tyler was getting more nervous with each passing minute. He'd been positive that Tink would be relatively easy to find. Suddenly, he heard gunfire from a different quarter. Spinning towards the sound, he took off at a run. It couldn't be the Feds, which meant someone in the militia was firing at something else. Fear clutched at him, what if he had heard an execution?  
  
He turned a corner without thinking and smacked into something solid. He landed on his back with the wind knocked out of him. Blinking, he saw a huge foot coming at him. Tyler rolled to the side, coming up with his shotgun aimed at his assailant. His mouth dropped open in surprise, "Tink!" He was even more surprised when he realized the person Tink was carrying was Colonel MacKenzie. Tink was equally amazed. Pick was the last person he expected to see. A bullet whizzing by caused them both to duck and scramble around the corner. Tyler cautiously peered back down the alleyway. Four men were pounding towards them, guns drawn and more were entering at the far end. He ducked back, chambered a round and counted to three. Throwing the shotgun to his shoulder, he pivoted into the alley and opened fire. Three rounds later, the alley was clear.  
  
He came back around the corner to find Tink leaning against the wall. "That should slow them down for while," he said. He scanned the area nervously, "We need to find a place to hide until the Feds can secure the place."   
  
Tink nodded wordlessly and pushed himself upright. He hurried towards a series of smaller buildings. Passing the first three, he stopped and looked at Tyler, "See if we can get in this one."  
  
Tyler came forward and tried the door. He looked back and grinned, pushing it open. He stood aside, gesturing for Tink to go in first while he kept watch. There was still no sign of their pursuers. No doubt, they would be very cautious in their approach. With one last glance around, Tyler entered the little building. It was a small storage shed, crammed with all manner of items. He slung the riotgun over his shoulder and began pulling barrels and crates in front of the door. Tink had moved to the back, still holding the Colonel. Tyler finished up and stood for a second, surveying his handiwork. Satisfied it would slow the attackers down, he moved to the back to join Tink. He got his first good look at them. "Sweet Jesus, Tink, you both look like hell."  
  
Tink gave him a lop-sided grin, "Nice to see you, too, Pick." He grimaced a little, "Help me get the Colonel on the ground, Pick. I don't want to drop her."  
  
Tyler hurried forward and looked at his friend anxiously as they lowered Mac to floor, "What's wrong?"  
  
Tink settled on floor next to Mac, "I think I took a round in the back."  
  
"You think?! For godsakes Tink, that kind of thing usually catches a person's attention!" Tyler looked at him incredulously.  
  
"Well, it didn't start to hurt until a little while ago. Right after you crashed into me, as a matter of fact." Tink tried an accusing stare. When he saw Tyler wasn't buying it, he sighed, "I don't think it's that bad. I'm more worried about the Colonel. They drugged her somehow and I'm beginning to think they gave her too much."  
  
"You don't know what they gave her?" Tyler was aware, even as he asked, that it was a stupid question.  
  
Tink contented himself with a look and then continued, "I don't think they injected it. It was just her and Trask at lunch. He'd have needed someone to hold her down or even one-handed, I think she'd have kicked his ass. They must have put it in the food or the drink." He sat thinking for a minute and then looked at his watch, "It's been eighteen minutes since they called me into the dining room and she was already out. Most of the food was gone from her plate, so she ate a full meal before it took effect." He looked at Tyler, "There hasn't been enough time for the food to fully digest."  
  
Tyler stared at him for a long moment before his eyes got wide, "She needs to throw up the food? How's that going to happen? She's out cold." Tink continued to stare at him. Tyler stared back before squeezing his eyes shut and grimacing, "Oh man! You want me to... aw man, that's gross! She's a Lt. Colonel in the Marine Corps. She'll have my ass when she finds out! Why me?"  
  
"You're the officer here, Mr. Pick, sir." Tink was looking insufferably smug, "I don't think this is an appropriate job for a non-com." He turned serious again, "It's gotta come up, Pick. Otherwise, I think that crap is gonna kill her. Look... it's an involuntary reflex, you probably just have to get it started."  
  
"All right, all right, fine," Pick said miserably. "Let me find a bucket or something." He rummaged around and came up with a plastic wash basin. "Can you hold her over this with that dent in your back?"  
  
Tink nodded, "Yeah, I think so. You'll have to hold her head though. Let me get myself braced." He scooted himself backwards until he was up against the shelves. He looked up to see Tyler eyeing him suspiciously. "What?"  
  
"What's going on, Corporal Bell?" Tyler fixed Tink with a hard stare, although his heart was beginning to hammer in his chest.  
  
"Sir?" Tink answered unctuously. Tyler continued to stare at him. Finally, he grimaced. Colonel MacKenzie didn't have time for this. "Okay... my legs are getting a bit numb." He hurried on, ignoring the look on Tyler's face, "Pick, there's nothing you can about this, but any more delay might kill the Colonel."   
  
Tyler looked at him in shock.  
  
"Pick! Dammit! I didn't rescue the Colonel and go through this, just to let her die in some friggin' little shed. Move your skinny little ass! ... Sir!" That seemed to break the spell.   
  
Tyler blinked and then hurried over and together they positioned Mac across Tink's lap. He rocked back on his heels, nervously scrubbing his hands on his pants. At another look from Tink, he leaned forward and placed a hand on Mac's forehead. It felt cold and a little clammy. He lifted her head just enough to have her mouth open and then, taking a deep breath, stuck a finger in and pushed down at the back of her throat.   
  
He was shocked at how fast the retching started and barely got his hand clear. After that it was a matter of waiting while she threw up an amazing amount. Tyler resolutely kept from looking, how had his mother stood this with seven kids? He'd take blood and gore any time. At last, Mac was reduced to dry heaves and then finally, she stopped and went limp. Tink pulled her back a bit, while Tyler gingerly picked up the basin. His muttered oath caught Tink's attention, "What?"  
  
Tyler shot him a worried look, "There's blood in this. What the hell did they give her?" He walked the basin over to the barricade in front of the door and put it on top of a barrel. With a little luck, it would spill on one of the bad guys. Tyler wasn't adverse to grossing someone else out. Of course, with a little more luck, it wouldn't spill at all. He turned back and pulling her off of Tink's lap, did his best to make the Colonel as comfortable as possible. He'd found a number of canvas tarps while looking for the container earlier. They weren't the softest pillows but it was better than nothing. Finishing with Mac, he turned back to Tink, "Okay, your turn."  
  
Just Outside Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
1255 Local  
  
The Feds had opted for a surprise assault, counting on their opponents to be unable to organize quickly enough to seriously oppose them. AJ disagreed with their estimate of the opposition. SAC Ramos was confident the militia would quickly surrender when they realized the Feds had the drop on them. After listening to Tyler's observations, Chegwidden thought Ramos was only half right. There was a hardcore group that would probably fight to the bitter end. That would turn the envisioned quick round-up into a protracted house-to-house battle.   
  
AJ's biggest problem was the time factor. With the Feds bogged down, Trask and Koslov would have ample time to execute their prisoners and disappear into the woodwork. Even if they were eventually brought to ground, it would be improbable that they'd be held accountable for the murders. The waters would be too muddy to overcome reasonable doubt - and his people would still be dead.  
  
That left it up to AJ and his group to try to bypass the fighting and get into the camp quickly enough to save Rabb, MacKenzie and Singer. He looked at Walters, "Call Perez. If he doesn't think they're needed any longer, have them come here. We'll be bringing up the rear on the assault and we need to make our own plans."  
  
Perez arrived just as the Feds began to move. AJ looked at him in surprise, "Where's Tyler?"  
  
Looking somewhere between defiant and worried, Perez said, "He's in the militia camp, sir."  
  
AJ stared at the captain for a long moment, "He's where?"  
  
"He was worried about Corporal Bell, sir. He thought the Feds would take one look at the Corporal and just start shooting. I agreed, Tink can look menacing when he's asleep. Tyler was confident he could slip in unnoticed and after the assault started, he'd be able to move freely in the confusion. Once he hooked up with the Corporal, they'd either lay low or try to get to Rabb, the Colonel and Lt. Singer." Perez finished and then waited a little nervously for the Admiral's reaction.  
  
"So you took it upon yourself to support this plan without checking with me first?"  
  
Slowly, Perez nodded, "Yes sir."  
  
"Good work, Captain," AJ turned and gestured for the others to follow, "Come along gentlemen, let's see if we can meet up with Mr. Tyler." They fell in behind the assault wave and the next few minutes were intense. It went as Chegwidden had feared. The militia didn't get itself organized until the agents were most of the way across and then it became a building to building fight. Fortunately for the Feds, at least half the militia panicked and ran or they'd have been greatly outnumbered. The ones that were left, however, clearly intended to go down fighting.  
  
AJ reached the side of a storage shed a little ahead of Perez and Walters. They skirted along the edge, quietly moving away from the firing and making steady progress. They were halfway between two buildings when half a dozen militia jogged around the corner. Weapons snapped up and both sides froze.  
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
1318 Local  
  
Harm stared at Singer. She was quite right, they had no idea where to start looking. Mac might or might not still be in the building and time was critical. The wrong choice could result in her death or worse, her disappearance. He was used to making life or death decisions in a split second but this was different. Harm wasn't used to being indecisive - it made him feel off-balance. Normally, even if he was unsure of the best course, he would make a decision and go. He was always confident that he'd be able to successfully deal with the consequences. Normally, he was right more often than not, but being wrong now would be devastating. Finally, he said, "We'll search the building first, it's not that big." ... God help him if he was wrong and God help Trask when he found that bastard. They were just re-entering the dining room when they heard the unmistakable sound of three shotgun blasts closely spaced.  
  
Harm stopped in shock, "That's too close to be the Feds. Oh God... !" He turned and sprinted back to the kitchen where he'd seen a door leading outside. Singer was close behind. 


	37. Part 37

Part Thirty-Seven  
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
1310 Local  
  
At a shout from one of the buyer's men, Trask turned his attention from the sound of gunfire to see Tinker running. He was already past the van and almost to the opening between the buildings. The Reverend scowled and glanced over in time to see Preston open fire. A moment later, Tinker had disappeared between the buildings. Trask stared after him, irritated, what had gotten into that oversized cretin? The head rep for the buyers was yelling and gesturing angrily at his men. All four took off after Tinker. Then he turned to Trask in disgust, "Is this how you control your men?" His eyes narrowed suspiciously, "Or is this some elaborate ploy to keep the money and the merchandise? He indicated the briefcase in the Reverend's hand, "I will hold that until you have fulfilled your end of the bargain... if that's possible."  
  
Trask looked at him coldly, "You impugn my honor, sir."  
  
The man snorted derisively, "You? A man of honor? If the price is right, perhaps... "  
  
The Reverend's face darkened, "And insult me." He held out the briefcase and glanced over his shoulder. As the man reached for it, Preston stepped forward and opened fire. Trask leaned over the body and said softly, "And there will be consequences."  
  
Looking back at Preston, he snapped, "Get some of the men and bring Tinker back. Alive. Don't bother with Colonel MacKenzie." He paused for just a moment, "Unless you and the men would like her." It was time to cut his losses, these military people had been nothing but trouble. He hefted the briefcase, 'Well, there'd been some profit... .'  
  
Several more of his personal guard showed up and he watched Preston disappear with them between the two buildings. Trask turned around and headed back to his headquarters. Harper should have disposed of Rabb and Singer by now. He stopped when he heard the shotgun blasts and then smiled, 'That should take care of the rest of the buyer's people.' Preston was always good at anticipating his needs.  
  
******  
  
AJ was first to break the tableau. Lowering his weapon, he scowled at the men, "What the hell are you doing over here? For a minute, I thought you were the Feds." Behind him, Perez and Walters lowered their weapons as well.  
  
The man in front blinked, slowly bringing his rifle down. He exchanged guilty looks with the others in his group. "We were... we were just gonna circle around and get in behind those guys." Behind him, the other men nodded vigorously.  
  
"I see," AJ said judiciously. "Very well, carry on."  
  
"Yes sir!" The men tried not to look relieved as they hurried past Chegwidden and his people.  
  
Walters waited until they had disappeared around the far corner before looking over at AJ, "Thank god for desserters, sir."  
  
"Yeah," AJ replied, "With a little luck, maybe we can encourage the whole damn camp." He continued along the alleyway, trailed by Perez with Walters acting as the rearguard. When they reached the corner, he stopped and motioned the others to come up and join him. The main thoroughfare of the militia camp looked like a disturbed anthill. No one paid them any attention. AJ looked over at Perez, "Did Tyler know where the main headquarters building was located?"  
  
Perez shook his head. "No, the only place he knew for sure was the mess hall. That was relatively easy to spot, but I don't think he had time to check out anything else. He probably figured that once he found Cpl. Bell, Tink could tell him where they needed to go."  
  
AJ thought for a moment, "Trask is the guy that's in charge of the militia?"  
  
Perez nodded, "Reverend Trask."  
  
Chegwidden stalked out into the crowd and grabbed the arm of one the men hurrying past. Before the man could protest, AJ was in his face, "Where the hell is Reverend Trask? I need to talk to him. Now."  
  
The man glared at him in annoyance, "How in the sam hill would I know? He's sure as hell not where the fighting is going on." He jerked a thumb over his shoulder, "Probably havin' his afternoon tea and doesn't want to be disturbed. Good luck gettin' past that lunatic watchdog, Preston." He yanked his arm out of AJ's grasp and took off. Chegwidden glanced back at Walters and Perez and then headed in the direction the man had indicated.  
  
They hadn't gotten very far when the sound of a shotgun went off somewhere ahead and to their right. All three froze for a moment while the scurrying crowd of militia surged around them, and then took off at a run. They slowed down as they approached a series of small buildings. Reaching the first one, they cautiously moved to a corner and peered around. Seeing it was clear, AJ motioned Perez to take the point. Nodding, the captain carefully made his way down to the next corner and looked around. He gestured for the other two to join him. When they got there, he grimly jerked a thumb towards the corner, "I found the recipients of the shotgun blasts." He looked at AJ, "Tyler was armed with a riotgun. This could be him."  
  
AJ peered around the corner and then yanked his head back. "Company's coming this way. They're not ours." They retreated back to a different building and carefully took up watch. There were seven men altogether, armed with automatic weapons and shotguns. Apparently they were equally wary about whoever they were hunting, their approach was excruciatingly slow. Finally they gained the corner where AJ, Perez and Walters had just been.  
  
They milled about uncertainly, seemingly unwilling to look further. That changed when an eighth man joined them. Obviously in charge, he growled orders at them and they split into two groups and headed towards a line of small, windowless buildings. AJ exchanged glances with the others and they drifted quietly after the militia men.  
  
  
Storage Shed  
Militia Camp  
1330 Local  
  
"My turn?" Tink said, looking leery.  
  
Tyler glared at him, "Your turn. Don't whine."  
  
Tink looked indignant, "I'm not whining. I'm just apprehensive. You're the backwoods country boy. How do I know you're not going to something weird like make me wear garlic or tie a string on my foot and recite the Gettysburg Address?"  
  
"Bite your tongue," Tyler said with a mock scowl. "Besides, you ignorant Yankee, garlic is for repelling vampires and a string on your toe's for toothache. Now let me see your back."  
  
Grudgingly, Tink turned a little and leaned forward. He focused on the Colonel while Tyler pulled his shirt away. She was still pale and her breathing labored. They needed to get medical help for her and himself as well. He wasn't about to say anything to Tyler; the ensign had enough on his mind, but the numbness seemed to be growing stronger. It was scaring the hell out of him.  
  
Taking a breath, Tyler raised the shirt out of the way and took his first look. It wasn't what he was expecting, just a small, round hole with a minimal amount of blood. It already seemed to be clotting. Looking at the thick slabs of muscle across Tink's back, Tyler decided that the real surprise was that the bullet hadn't just bounced off. The entry didn't seem to be close to the spine, but God knows where it had gone after it hit. He gave himself a mental slap, of course he knew where it went, Tink said his legs were numb. That statement had scared him almost as much as the Colonel's condition. Adding to the stress was the fact that the men searching for them were going to find them sooner or later. It was just a process of elimination. He winced to himself, that was a poor choice of words.  
  
Dropping Tink's shirt back down, Tyler said lightly, "Well, at least, the bleeding seems to have quit; but I think there's swelling where the bullet finally stopped. You should be happy I can't find any hog manure to put in your left shoe... "  
  
Tink squeezed his eyes shut as he eased back against the shelf again. "I'm pretty sure that's about all I want to hear... where the hell do you get this stuff?"  
  
Tyler chuckled, "Mostly my Great-Aunt Etta June. You haven't lived until you've gotten to wear a rhubarb root around your neck to ward off stomach aches. Life was never dull when we visited her."  
  
A thump at the door of the shed brought their conversation to an abrupt halt. "Son of a bitch! Get down, Tink!" Tyler snapped as he grabbed the riotgun and scrambled to one side.   
  
Outside, they heard a voice calling, "Tinker! You and whoever's in there with you, come out, there's nowhere for you to go!"  
  
Tink glanced over at Tyler and then raised his voice, "No! You'll shoot me!"  
  
The voice turned cajoling, "Aww c'mon Tinker, the Reverend just wants to talk to you. He's not that mad."  
  
"He's not?" Tink paused a moment, "What about Colonel MacKenzie? I don't like those men."  
  
"You can bring her out, too. Rev. Trask didn't like those men either, Tinker, and he likes having to wait even less. Now who else is in there?"  
  
"It's just me and the Colonel."  
  
"Don't lie to me, Tinker. Somebody's helping you. Somebody killed those men."  
  
"I don't know who he was. I ran into him and knocked him down. He was really mad and then those guys showed up and started shooting. He hauled off and started firing that shotgun he was carrying. So I took off."  
  
There was a slight pause, "Come out Tinker. I'm losing patience."  
  
Tink looked over at Tyler again. He had stalled about as long as he could. Tyler nodded and then gestured to the floor while raising an eyebrow. Tink nodded back and carefully rolled down onto his side. He raised his voice again, "No! Go away!"  
  
"All right, Tinker. I warned you." There was silence for a few brief seconds and then a barrage of shots hit the shed. The two men hugged the floor as the shooting continued. Finally, it came to a halt. Ears ringing, Tyler watched as the door was slowly forced open. He waited a few more seconds and then popped up and blew a hole right through the door and whoever was pushing it open. He heard the screams and obscenities as he fired two more rounds. Then the return fire started, heavier than before. Hugging the floor again, he exchanged a look with Tink. It was just a matter of time. The makeshift barricade wouldn't withstand this kind of fire for very long.  
  
The fire increased in intensity and then inexplicably began to slacken. There was yelling and cursing and then that too died away. In the silence, Tyler looked at Tink again and shrugged, gripping his riotgun a little tighter. A shadow fell across the now open doorway, "Tyler? You in there? Is anyone hurt?"   
  
Tyler sagged with relief at the sound of Gunny Walters' voice. He looked over at Tink, "It's the cavalry." He raised his voice as he started to sit up, "Gunny? I'm fine but the Colonel and Cpl. Bell need medical attention."  
  
There was a muttered expletive and then an 'Excuse me, sir.' A moment later, Admiral Chegwidden pushed his way into the shed. "Tyler?"  
  
"Over here, sir," Tyler called. He moved over to give Tink a hand. The big man was trying to get himself back to sitting upright. Tyler looked at him in concern, "You probably should have stayed down. I don't think moving like that is a good idea."   
  
"Why is that, Mr. Tyler?" The sound of Chegwidden's voice behind him made him jump.  
  
Tyler whirled around to see the Admiral kneeling down near Colonel MacKenzie. He was looking at Tink and himself. Ignoring the warning growl from Tink, he said, "Cpl. Bell took a round in the back getting the Colonel away. Now his legs are numb."  
  
AJ raised an eyebrow, "You didn't think anyone would notice, Corporal?"  
  
Tink flushed a little, "It's not like there's anything that can be done about it, sir. Not here, anyway, and it really doesn't hurt very much. I was more worried about the Colonel." He gestured towards Mac, "I don't think those idiots knew what they were doing and gave her too much of whatever it was they drugged her with. Ensign Tyler got her to throw up a lot of it but she's still pretty sick. Right now, it seems like the only improvement is that she hasn't gotten worse." Tink trailed off uncertainly, suddenly aware he'd been running off at the mouth with a two-star.   
  
AJ looked down at Mac, brushing her hair back before resting a hand lightly on her forehead. She barely stirred. He scowled and looked at the two young men, "The short version - what the hell happened?"  
  
The two exchanged glances and then Tink cleared his throat, "Sir, it started when Reverend Trask requested the Colonel join him for lunch. I went with her to help her get to the dining room."  
  
"She couldn't walk on her own?" the Admiral interrupted.  
  
"Well, yes sir, she could but Cmdr. Rabb made them think she needed help. He knew I was one of the guards and he wanted to make sure she wouldn't be alone." The Admiral nodded, and Tink continued, "Preston called me in about an hour later, the Colonel was unconscious. There were some men in business suits at the far end of the room. That bastard... excuse me, sir... Trask had sold her to them. I was told to carry the Colonel to their van. When the shooting started, I just kept going. Then I ran into to Tyler and we wound up hiding in here. We figured they must have drugged her food or drink because we didn't think she'd go down without a fight."  
  
"Admiral?" Perez appeared in the doorway, "I think we need to move to a new location, one of them got away." His eyebrows rose as he finally took in the scene in front of him, "Son of a bitch!" 


	38. Part 38

Part Thirty-Eight  
  
Militia Camp  
Holly Springs Nat'l. Forest, MS  
1320 Local  
  
Harm stopped at the door leading outside. For all the speed records he broke sprinting to that point, he wasn't so lost to common sense that he would charge into hostile territory without a careful look. Singer caught up and then breathed a sigh of relief. Harm arched an eyebrow at her. She looked a little sheepish and said quietly, "I was afraid you'd keep going, sir. I'd never be able keep up."  
  
He raised both eyebrows. "I try to make a point of not outrunning my back-up, Lieutenant. Most of the time anyway," he said with a small smile. He gestured for her to stay low and cautiously opened the door a crack. After satisfying himself it was clear, the two cautiously made their way outside. Staying close to the building, they moved to a corner. Harm looked over at Singer, "Could you tell what direction the shotgun came from?"  
  
She thought about it for a moment and then shrugged, "I couldn't say for sure, sir." She pointed to the left of the building they were alongside, "Maybe over there?"  
  
Harm nodded, "That's what I was thinking, too." He peered around the corner and signaled 'all clear'. Together they hustled to the next small building and again, worked their way to a corner. Harm carefully looked down the next alleyway and then quickly pulled his head back. "It's Trask!" he hissed to Lauren. He motioned for her to fall back a few steps and let Trask see her when he came around the building. Harm crouched down and waited.   
  
Ten seconds later, the Reverend rounded the corner and stopped in shock at the sight of Lt. Singer. Before he could register anything else, Harm uncoiled and launched himself at Trask, slamming a fist into the side of his jaw. The Reverend went down on all fours and stayed there, shaking his head. The briefcase landed a few feet away. Harm glared down at him, rubbing his knuckles. That had been eminently satisfying. He looked over at Singer and motioned for her to keep watch while he went to stand in front of Trask. "Where's Colonel MacKenzie?" he grated, the menace apparent in his voice.  
  
Trask ignored him, rocking back and forth on all fours. He made no attempt to get up. Irritated, Harm nudged him with a foot, he didn't have time for the Reverend's histrionics. "Tell me where the Colonel is, you miserable son of a bitch, before I hit you again." To his infinite disgust, Trask buried his head in his arms, rocking harder and started to sob. Harm stared at the man in disbelief, he knew the guy was nuts but was he always this close to the edge? He gave a frustrated growl, it really didn't matter. He needed to find Mac.  
  
He reached down and grabbed Trask's left shoulder, giving it a rough shake, "Where is she?!" With a surprising amount of speed, the Reverend spun towards Harm, his right hand almost a blur as he swung it in an arc towards the Commander. Harm had a brief glimpse of metal flashing as he leaped backwards. He heard the material of his fatigue shirt tear and for a split second, thought Trask had missed. The fire lancing across his midsection told him otherwise as he stumbled back, still bent over. The Reverend was on him in an instant, trying to press his advantage. Harm managed to evade the next two slashs, blocking the third earned him a cut across his forearm. He couldn't afford the time to draw his weapon and vaguely realized that Trask was keeping him positioned as a shield against Singer.  
  
A heavy barrage of gunfire erupted not far away, distracting him and earning another cut, this one across his upper arm. He had to stop this and quickly, before Trask found an opening for a fatal blow or he collapsed from blood loss. He began to sway slightly, letting his head start to drop. He could almost feel Trask gathering himself. Harm took one stumbling step to the side and sank to one knee. Trask leaped at him, arm swinging downward for a killing blow to the back of his exposed neck.   
  
With reflexes honed by combat, Harm shot a hand out and caught the wrist of the knifehand in a viselike grip. At the same time, he drove his other fist into the Reverend's midsection, surging to his feet to throw his body weight behind it. Trask flew backwards and hit the ground rolling. Recovering faster than Harm would have thought possible, he came up on his knees, a murderous look on his face. As he started to climb to his feet, a single gunshot rang out from behind Harm. The impact spun Trask around and he landed facedown in the dirt. He made one last attempt to rise and then was still.  
  
Harm stayed bent over, hands braced on his knees while he got his breath back. He heard Singer walk over and then her feet appeared to one side. Turning his head to look at her, he offered a tired smile, "Nice shot, Lieutenant."  
  
"Yes sir," she said a trifle vaguely, looking at Trask.  
  
Harm looked at her a little more closely, "Are you all right, Lauren?"  
  
She looked at him, "I've never killed anyone before. Shouldn't I feel something? Remorse? Guilt? I don't even feel relieved."  
  
He straightened slowly, "It'll probably sneak up on you, Lieutenant. When it does, we can talk about it if you'd like." Harm took a cautious breath, "We need to get going."  
  
Singer stared at him, "Are you kidding... sir?" She gestured at his midsection, "That lunatic tried to fillet you. We need to stop the bleeding or when we find the Colonel, she'll kill ME."  
  
"It's not that bad and we're wasting time, Lieutenant," Harm said stubbornly.  
  
Singer crossed her arms. Is this what MacKenzie put up with when they were partnered together? The Colonel had more restraint than she thought. "The sooner we take care of that, the sooner we can get going again." She gestured behind her, "The dining hall isn't that far away, we can find something for bandages and then we can go."  
  
Harm glared at her for a long moment and then snapped, "Fine." He pivoted and headed back to the headquarters building, trying not to wince. Singer shook her head in exasperation and jogged after him. Ten minutes later, they were back on their way again. Only the cut on his forearm was probably going to need stitches. Linen napkins padded the wounds and a tablecloth tore into strips, kept everything in place. Harm begrudged every moment.  
  
They stepped outside the kitchen again and scanned the area. The gunfire marking the Feds' advance was growing closer. Harm hurried back along their original route. He turned a corner and stopped abruptly. Lauren was hard put not to crash into him. "Sir?" she asked, trying to keep the annoyance out of her voice.  
  
"He's gone," Harm said softly.  
  
Lauren's mouth dropped open, she knew who 'he' was. "But... but... he's dead! I killed him!" she spluttered.  
  
"Apparently not," Harm's gaze swept the area warily, "The briefcase is gone, too." He gave himself a small shake, "Let's go. Keep your eyes open." They backtracked along the way they'd seen Trask come. A few minutes later, they came upon the abandoned van and a body.  
  
Singer looked at Harm, "What do you think, sir? Trask double-crossed someone?"  
  
Harm grunted thoughtfully. For the first time, the fear he had felt for Mac was being lessened by a small ray of hope. "Or making the most of a bad situation. I think Corporal Bell and Mac got away. Come on." They carefully skirted the van and then stopped, trying to decide which way. Harm nudged Singer and pointed to the bullet holes in the side of a building. They headed down the alleyway. At the next intersection, they stopped again uncertainly. A moment later, Singer touched his arm and pointed up an alleyway. There were indeterminate lumps near the end. Cautiously, they moved in that direction.   
  
Harm grew more tense as the stench of death became stronger. What if... Resolutely, he shoved that thought aside, he wouldn't believe anything until he saw it with his own eyes. He glanced over at Singer. She'd become noticeably paler with each step and her jaw was so tightly clenched, he thought she would crack a tooth. At last, they were close enough to see the bodies clearly. Harm also wished they weren't, shotguns did a horrific amount of damage. The good news was that it wasn't Mac or Bell. Gingerly, they made their way past. Harm paused to give Singer a hand, she was definitely looking a little green around the gills. Finally, they cleared the corner and stopped for a moment in relief.  
  
He just caught the movement out of the corner of his eye. Grabbing Singer he shoved her down behind him as he made himself as small as possible against the building. Silently, he muttered a few choice phrases to himself - for not paying strict attention to their surroundings, for stopping at a point with relatively little cover and for not taking into account crouching down like this would hurt like hell. Trying to look everywhere at once, he motioned for Singer to back up. If they could get back around the corner, they'd have a chance.  
  
Singer had almost made it to the corner, when a man appeared at the far end of the building. Harm brought the machine pistol up and took aim. The man just looked at them, his rifle held loosely and angled towards the ground. Harm squinted at him, the sun was behind just enough to make it difficult to make out details.   
  
"Commander Rabb?"  
  
Harm let out a breath, he knew that voice. "Gunny Walters?" Behind him, he heard Singer's sigh of relief. They climbed to their feet and jogged over to the Gunny. "Good to see you, Gunny." Harm said with a smile, "Is the Admiral here too? Have you seen Mac or Corporal Bell? Are you here with the Feds? Is the area secure?"  
  
The Gunny grinned back and gestured for them to follow, "Good to see you too, sir. Yes. Yes. Sort of. No."   
  
Despite the apparent flippancy of his answers, Harm noticed the Gunny never stopped scanning the area. Then he realized what Walters had said yes to and grabbed his arm, "You know where Mac is? Is she okay?"  
  
Gunny slowed a bit and glanced back at Harm, "We're almost there, Commander. The Admiral's going to be glad to see you two."  
  
The fear Harm had been carrying tightened its grip just a little more at the Gunny's evasion. He couldn't quite bring himself to voice the question ricocheting around in his brain. He'd know the answer soon enough. Although by now, he was dreading the worst, he still stopped in shock when they reached the storage shed. Singer halted beside him. He'd never seen a building with so many holes in it and still standing. It looked like they were trying to cut it in half with firepower alone. He barely noticed when a figure detached itself from the doorway.  
  
"Commander! Lieutenant!" Tyler said happily, "Am I glad to see you!" His gaze took in Harm's appearance and his expression changed to one of concern, "Are you okay, Commander Rabb?"  
  
Harm looked at him blankly for just a moment and then nodded slowly, "Where's Colonel MacKenzie?"  
  
Tyler jerked a thumb over his shoulder, "The Admiral's in there with her and Tinker." He stopped speaking as Harm hurried past him into the shed. He looked at Singer, who shrugged and followed a little more slowly.  
  
"Admiral? Mac?" Harm called quietly as he let his eyes adjust to the dimness. He heard the Admiral's 'Over here,' and quickly made his way over. He stopped briefly, taking in the scene and then knelt down next to Mac. Looking at Chegwidden and Bell, he asked tersely, "What happened?"  
  
AJ replied quietly, "Trask drugged Mac so he could turn her over to the buyers without a fight. He may have given her too much." He motioned to Tink, "Corporal Bell was hit while escaping with her. There are med-evac choppers standing by, they'll be here as soon as the Feds can secure the camp." Chegwidden took a good look at Harm, "What the hell happened to you, Commander?"  
  
"He ran into Reverend Trask, who had a knife hidden in his sleeve." Singer's voice came from behind them.  
  
AJ looked over his shoulder at her and then back at Harm, who was staring at Mac, "Lieutenant, let's go outside and you can give me your report." He rose and walked out with her.  
  
Harm sat down next to Mac and took her hand. Leaning towards her, he ignored the discomfort and ran his fingers down the side of her face. "Mac?" he said quietly, "Can you hear me? You need to fight this and wake up. C'mon Mac, quit slacking. You're going to give the Corps a bad name." He took a firmer grip on her hand, his voice growing more intense, "D'you hear me, jarhead? I know you can out-stubborn mules, now show a little grit and get off your ass. Wake up, goddammit, or I'll start listing all the reasons why women shouldn't be in the military." He froze when he felt her hand tighten briefly in his. "Mac? Sarah?" He leaned in closer, "Can you hear me?" 


	39. Part 39

Part Thirty Nine  
  
Storage Shed  
Militia Camp  
1420 Local  
  
Mac struggled for awareness as she fought against the blackness that was trying to devour her. It was terrifying and seductive at the same time. It promised a surcease from the pain and fear that had come to dominate her life of late. All she had to do was loosen her grip, let go and slide into oblivion. It was tempting, she was so tired. Mac wasn't even sure why she struggled except for her innate distrust of the darkness. With an effort she pulled herself one step closer to consciousness. With it came the memory of what she faced and a growing feeling of hopelessness. She found herself wavering, perhaps it would be better... easier... to let go.  
  
Even as that thought manifested, her resolve strengthened. She'd survived too damn much in her life to slip quietly away now. If she was going down, it would be kicking and clawing. The blackness slipped a little further away. With renewed determination, she pushed harder. Abruptly, the darkness fled. In its place, semiconsciousness flowed in, in a roiling, tumultuous miasma of red-tinged gray. She felt dizzy and sick, her extremities leaden. The worst was the noise. It was a painful, deafening roar inside her head that pounded and buffeted, making it almost impossible to think. It was inexorably wearing her down. The darkness crept back in to hover at the edges. It would be a matter of time.  
  
So overwhelmed by the turbulence, she almost missed the voice. It was familiar somehow, she knew this voice. It meant comfort and safety; it would lead her out of the maelstrom. Desperately she clung to its sound. She couldn't quite make out the words but the tone was becoming increasingly anxious. Mac concentrated harder and found the noise lessening. She could almost put a name to it... Harm! That was the voice - Harm! He was calling her, talking to her. Stubbornly, she brought more attention to bear. The noise and tumult receded still further. Now he sounded... exasperated? The words began to filter through... what was he saying? What the hell? Why that...   
  
Mac used her outrage to focus her energies. If she could just make a fist, she'd give him 'reasons'. Dammit, she couldn't feel her hands, or her feet for that matter. Had she managed the fist? Harm's voice changed again, now he was sounding hopeful. If he thought she was going to let the stuff he was saying slide... She concentrated on prying her eyes open. Anger was proving useful.  
  
Harm stared anxiously down at Mac, he was positive she'd squeezed his hand a moment ago. She was so still; please God, he hadn't imagined it. He glanced up to see Bell watching him uncomfortably, he'd completely forgotten about the corporal. Harm cleared his throat and said softly, "Thank you for rescuing her, Tink."   
  
Bell managed to add embarrassment to the uncomfortable look and shrugged slightly, "I wish I'd gotten to her sooner, sir."  
  
"Know what you mean," Harm replied quietly, returning his gaze to the still form beside him. It took him a moment to register that she was looking back. "Mac!"  
  
*******  
  
The Admiral stood silently for a moment after Singer finished her report. It was impossible to know if Trask was actually dead and someone had taken the body, or if he'd survived and managed to escape. From everything he'd just heard from the Lieutenant, added to what Corporal Bell had to say, he fervently hoped it was the former. He looked up in surprise when Perez came pounding around the corner and skidded to a halt. Tyler and Walters both lowered their weapons, exchanging a glance.  
  
"Sir!" Perez rasped out, trying to get his breath. "The Feds are closing in on this area. There's militia falling back. We're going to be caught in the middle."  
  
'Dammit!' Chegwidden looked at the young captain, "How much time do we have?"  
  
Perez looked grim, "Not enough to get Tink or the Colonel to any sort of safety, sir. Ten minutes... maybe."  
  
"Then we'll make a stand here," AJ started rapping out orders, sending Tyler, Walters and Singer flying. He looked back at the Captain, "Keep an eye on their progress." Perez started to turn when Chegwidden stopped him once more, "Don't take any chances, Captain, we've had enough casualities this trip." Perez nodded and was gone.  
  
AJ spun and stalked back into the shed. He silently berated himself, he should have moved to a new location. He'd been worried about possible complications moving Corporal Bell. Now he'd just have to worry about keeping everyone alive. He threaded his way through the barricade to where Harm, Mac and Bell were staying. "Commander?"  
  
The smile on Harm's face gave him the first good news he'd had in a while, AJ quickly closed the distance. When Harm started to stand, he waved him back down with a gruff 'as you were'. He knelt down beside them and looked over at Mac in time to see her eyes flutter open once more. "Colonel," AJ said with a quiet smile. He saw recognition flare in the dark eyes and then change to frustration. He held up a soothing hand, "Take it easy, Mac. Let the drugs wear off." He settled back on his heels and let his gaze take in all three, "We've got a problem." He saw Harm and Bell tense. "The government forces are driving into this area. Unfortunately, they're pushing the militia here as well. It's likely we're going to be caught in the crossfire. There's not much time and I've got the others doing what they can to make this position more secure." He stopped Harm from saying anything with a look, "You three are non-combatants. All I want from you is survival." He stopped and waited for the outbursts.  
  
"Sir," Harm protested, "I'd like to help defend, there's not nearly enough of us."  
  
Tink nodded, "I don't have to stand to be able to shoot, sir."  
  
AJ looked at them. Damn, even Mac managed to look defiant. "No. We're not trying to get into the fight, we're trying to stay out of it. With a little luck, the Feds will push through quickly and we can be evacuated."  
  
"And, hopefully, they won't mistake us for militia and try to blow us off the face of the earth. ... Sir." Harm grumbled.   
  
AJ glared at him for a moment, "That, too." He paused, the ever-present gunfire was becoming noticeably louder. He looked at Harm, "You still armed?" Harm nodded, pointing to the machine pistol lying near him on a small crate. AJ looked at Bell and then tossed him a pistol. He rose to a crouch and swept his gaze across all three again, "Nobody dies. That's an order." He turned and made his way back to the front of the shed.  
  
Harm looked back at Mac. Her eyes were again closed. She was drifting in and out every few minutes and still hadn't managed to speak. However, he had the distinct impression she wanted a few words with him. Actually, if Mac had heard half of what he'd said, what she probably wanted was to box his ears. He didn't care. If it meant she had fully recovered, she could take her best shot.  
  
He looked over at Tink and then at the barricade, "Let me see if I can beef this up at all. Keep an eye on the Colonel, would you?" There really wasn't much more he could do, but it kept him from fidgeting and it certainly couldn't hurt. He was shoving a sack into an opening when Perez came pelting to the shed. He dove over the breastworks the others had hurriedly thrown together in front of the door. Harm instinctively ducked when a few bullets whizzed in high overhead. He scrambled back to Mac's side, taking up the machine pistol and sharing a look of frustration with Bell. They couldn't see a damn thing. He glanced down and rested a hand lightly on Mac's shoulder. Although her eyes remained closed, the physical contact reassured him. Now, there was nothing to do but wait. He was going to hate every minute.  
  
Three militia men turned the corner in their pursuit of Perez, firing as they ran. They stopped in surprise at the sight of a barrier in front of the shed doorway. They scattered to take advantage of whatever cover was available and sent a few desultory shots towards the shed. One man detached himself from the group and ran back the way they had come.  
  
Chegwidden stayed hidden behind the barricade. Walters and Singer crouched there too, waiting AJ's signal to fire. He hadn't been sure of the wisdom of letting the Lieutenant join in the fighting. Vaguely, he wished it was Mac instead - he had no question of her ability in combat. But Singer had argued her point and he needed every able body he could get. Hopefully, if there was a problem, he and Walters could cover. Tyler and Perez would be backup, in addition to watching their flanks. Singer shifted, nervously readjusted her grip on the rifle and shifted again. AJ looked over at her and whispered, "Easy does it, Lieutenant. We're stalling for time." She shot him a look and stayed still.  
  
Clearly, the lack of response was puzzling the militia men. They knew for sure that Perez was in there, they had expected return fire. Suspicious of some sort of trap, the two men remained where they were. AJ was content to wait with them. Every minute brought the Feds closer, if he could get out of this without firing a shot, so much the better.  
  
Tyler and Perez were at opposite corners of the shed. One good thing about the aerating the shed had received earlier, it had left numerous places to look out. Tyler glanced over at the Captain before returning to scanning his side of the shed. He was pretty sure he'd be a lot more rattled if he'd been the one being shot at and chased. Movement at the edge of his field of vision riveted his attention. He shifted to another spot. 'Damn!' Tyler gestured for Perez's attention, jerked his thumb to the outside and held up four fingers. He sank lower to the ground while Perez silently wormed his way through the barricade to signal Rabb and Bell to stay out of sight. As the men slowly crept up alongside the shed, Tyler tracked their progress through the bullet holes. He was aware of Perez coming up beside him. The Captain motioned towards the last two men and brought his shotgun to his shoulder. Tyler did the same, focusing on the front two. They were almost to the corner of the shed. Tyler could feel Perez slowly tapping against his foot. On the third tap, the two opened fire, blowing fist-sized holes through the side of the shed. Two militia men went down to stay, the others hit the ground and began scrambling away in a panic.  
  
Harm jumped in spite of himself, the shotguns going off in an enclosed area made his ears ring. He felt Mac jerk under his hand and allowed himself a slight smile. It was his first indication since he reunited with her that she was recovering motor control. He gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze and returned to surveying the area.   
  
AJ thought he would jump out of his skin when the double shotgun blast reverberated through the shed. At the same time, he caught the movement beside him. He clamped a hand on Singer's arm, aware that Walters had done the same from the other side. Together, they kept her from leaping to her feet in panicked surprise. "Stand down!" he said in a harsh whisper to the still struggling Lieutenant. She subsided, her breathing still rapid. The two militia men were also surprised. It was a full thirty seconds before they opened fire. It died away quickly. Chegwidden could almost feel their uncertainty. Silently, he urged them to cut their losses and bypass his location.   
  
His hopes were dashed when more militia suddenly spilled out of the alleyway. It was little consolation that most were looking back up the alleyway. There were more than enough to overwhelm his little group if they were properly handled. The gunfire flared up again, most of it directed to the alley. AJ swore under his breath when a group broke away and headed for the shed. Obviously, they wanted to take a stand there. They came firing as they ran, no doubt hoping to keep anyone in the shed pinned down until they could reach it. Poor tactics any way you looked at it, Chegwidden was surprised they weren't hitting each other. He held up a hand and waited, letting them get closer. Abruptly, he dropped his hand, he and Walters popped up from behind the barricade and opened fire. A moment later and, to her credit, Singer opened fire as well.  
  
The concentrated barrage wiped out the approaching group and sent the rest of the militia reeling. Confused by the disciplined onslaught from an unexpected quarter, a number of the men threw down their weapons and raised their hands over their heads. The rest scattered - away from the shed - and AJ breathed a sigh of relief. Now they would wait for the Feds.  
  
The black-suited Federal agents flooded into the area minutes later, sweeping up prisoners and weapons. Half a dozen broke off and cautiously approached the shed, checking among the fallen militia men for survivors. Slowly, AJ stood up, hands in the air. Immediately, weapons were focused on him. He took a breath and bellowed, "I am Admiral AJ Chegwidden, the Naval Judge Advocate General. I have wounded that require medical attention."  
  
There was silence for a moment and then an agent yelled back, "Whoever else is in the shed, put down your weapons and come out with your hands up."  
  
AJ scowled and glanced over at Walters and Singer. They, too, slowly rose with hands raised. Behind him, Perez and Tyler appeared in the doorway. Agents swarmed around them, gathering weapons and shoving them against the shed wall. Keeping his growing anger in check, AJ glared as one of the agents approached. "Contact Agent Ramos and tell him I'm here and I have my people back. Some of them are hurt."  
  
The agent stared back, ignoring what Chegwidden had said, "Is there anyone else in there?"  
  
The Admiral looked at him in exasperation, "Yes, I've told you that. I have wounded. Call Ramos!" The agent turned away and gestured. Three other agents started into the shed. With a muttered oath, AJ swung towards the shed, ignoring the weapons suddenly aimed at him, "Rabb! Those are Federal agents coming in! Hold your fire!" He turned back to the agent, "Nothing better happen to them, young man, or I'll see to it your next duty station is in the Artic Circle."  
  
The agent opened his mouth to retort only to be cut off. "McElroy!" An older agent was rapidly approaching. "What's going on?" he said as he came up beside the first agent. He glanced at AJ and others and then did a double-take. "Admiral Chegwidden?" He stuck out a hand and smiled, "I'm the ASAC, Mike Donnelly. You've had Ramos sweating bullets." He took in the scene around him and his expression darkened, "What the hell is this?"  
  
AJ smiled grimly, "I believe Mr. McElroy thinks we're part of the militia."  
  
Donnelly's eyes widened a little, "Didn't you identify yourselves?" Not waiting for AJ's answer, he pinned McElroy with a glare, "Did you have cotton in your ears during the briefing, Mr. McElroy?" He paused while the hapless agent sputtered. "We'll be discussing this at length, once we get back to the office. Meanwhile, why don't you go assist in the mopping up?" He waited until McElroy had left and turned back to AJ, "I'm sorry Admiral." He stopped again when an agent walked out of the shed, followed by Commander Rabb. He took in Harm's appearance and turned to AJ in surprise, "You have wounded?"  
  
Chegwidden growled in frustration, "I've been saying that. No one's been listening. Colonel MacKenzie, Corporal Bell and Commander Rabb, here, all require medical assistance." He looked over at Rabb, "Any problems, Commander?" Harm shook his head.  
  
"I'll have McElroy's ass for this!" Donnelly muttered angrily. He pulled out a handheld and started barking orders, walking away as he spoke. A few minutes later, he was back. "The choppers will land as soon as we finish securing this area. Should be about ten minutes, there's EMTs onboard and we'll evacuate all of you at that time. Again, Admiral, I'm sorry." He shook AJ's hand and then trotted back to his men.  
  
Chegwidden looked over at Harm, "It's over."  
  
"Almost." Harm replied. 


	40. Part 40

Part Forty  
  
Base Hospital  
Memphis NAS  
1840 Local  
  
AJ and Gunny Walters nodded to the Marine guard outside Mac's door and after tapping lightly, entered the room. Harm was sprawled in one chair with his feet up on another. Somewhere along the line, he had appropriated hospital scrubs to wear. His eyes opened when he heard the door. He swung his feet off and started to rise when he saw the Admiral walk in. Chegwidden motioned for him to stay seated and went over to stand beside him. The three men gazed at the sleeping Marine Colonel and then AJ looked at Harm. "Has she been awake at all?" He'd just spent the last hour buttonholing various doctors on everyone's condition.  
  
"No sir," Harm said, "They gave her a mild sedative in addition to the antibiotics they're pumping in." He gestured towards the IV and then grimaced slightly, "She doesn't know about the diet restrictions yet." Whateverthehell drug Trask had given her had damaged her stomach lining. Harm was pretty sure he didn't want to be in the same room when Mac found out she faced two weeks of a diet in which the high point would be oatmeal.  
  
AJ glanced back at Walters and both men smiled, "I think her doctor's about to qualify for combat pay." He looked down at Harm, "Weren't you supposed to be resting in your quarters?"  
  
Harm shrugged a little umcomfortably, "I can rest here, just as easily. I thought Mac would feel better seeing a familiar face when she woke up." He decided to change the subject before the Admiral pursued it further, "How is Corporal Bell?"  
  
"The surgery went well. With the bullet removed, the swelling will go down and take pressure off the spinal cord. He's looking at a full recovery."  
  
"That's good to hear," Harm said, smiling. "He and Ensign Tyler did a helluva job down there."  
  
"They certainly did," AJ agreed, "I'll make sure that's reflected in their permanent records and I think I'll be discussing their current career plans with them." He looked at his watch and then at Harm, "Have you eaten yet, Commander?" When Harm shook his head, AJ continued, "Why don't you join me? I was going to grab something at the hospital cafeteria. Gunny can stay here with Mac. We won't be long."  
  
Harm didn't really want to leave Mac but an Admiral's request was pretty much the same as an order. Besides, now that Chegwidden had brought it up, he found he was hungry. "Yes sir", he said as he stood up. He smiled at Walters and gestured towards the chair, "Make yourself comfortable, Gunny." Walters waited until the two men had left the room before settling down to keep watch.  
  
Hospital Cafeteria  
Memphis NAS  
1915 Local  
  
AJ sipped his coffee and watched while Harm finished up the remainder of his salad. "So, Commander, it's obvious that both you and Perez think there's still a threat to Mac on this base and I'll trust your judgement in the matter. Why do you think all of this wasn't orchestrated by Captain Koslov?"  
  
Harm dabbed at his mouth with a napkin, thought for a moment and said, "A lot of it is gut instinct, sir. The first two attempts seemed planned but were poorly executed, like the people doing it were out of their league. I think after the first attempt, Capt. Koslov just took advantage to muddy the waters. He probably got nervous when Tyler and Bell went to the motor pool and then decided to take action on his own. I've got a theory about all this. I'll start checking it out tomorrow morning."  
  
AJ scowled a little, "Not without backup, you won't. I'll have Gunny Walters stick with you."  
  
"But sir, I was hoping he could stay with Mac," Harm protested. "It's not that I don't trust Perez's men, but I'd rather have someone she knows and trusts in the room."  
  
"I'll stay with her, Commander," AJ said. "The Colonel and I need to talk."  
  
Harm nodded a little numbly. With everything that had happened, he'd managed to forget what Mac had planned. Goddammit! The thought of Mac working for Webb full-time scared the hell out of him. He didn't trust any of the CIA operatives to watch her back. ... Well... He knew Clay would do his damnest to make sure she was safe but the very nature of the work was predicated against it. He looked up to see Chegwidden regarding him patiently. Jesus H. Christ, how do you tell a two-star that he better not screw up?   
  
He started to open his mouth when AJ held up a forefinger and shook it slightly, "Don't bother, Rabb. I know the stakes." Chegwidden stood up, "Let's get back, Commander." He grinned wryly, "I will assume you're spending the night in the Colonel's room. I'll have Gunny pick you up in the morning, along with a fresh uniform."  
  
Mac's Room  
Base Hospital  
Memphis NAS  
1900 Local  
  
Walters sat and watched Mac sleep. He was going to need some decompression time himself after the last couple of days or so. He'd been seriously thinking about asking for a transfer to a combat unit like Galindez had. He smiled to himself, what the hell had he been thinking? All he had to do was hang around the Colonel and Commander Rabb. All the combat he could stand, complete with all the conveniences of home. He would defend his country from the enemies within.   
  
He refocused his attention when the Colonel began to shift. Walters stood up and leaned on the rail of the bed. She continued to move restlessly. He cautiously put out a hand, mindful that the last time she was awake it had been in a hostile situation. "Colonel?" he said softly. "Ma'am? Can you hear me? It's Gunny Walters, ma'am and you're safe. We're at the base hospital in Memphis."  
  
"Memphis?" Mac's eyes opened slowly, her voice soft and rasping, "Gunny?"  
  
"Yes ma'am, just a moment." He poured a glass of water and helped her take a few sips.  
  
"Is everyone all right, Gunny?" Her gaze took in the rest of the room, "Is Harm okay?" Knowing how Harm tended to hover, his absence was scaring her.  
  
"The Commander's fine, ma'am. Admiral Chegwidden made him go get something to eat. They should both be back pretty soon. Everyone else is okay or will be. Corporal Bell's surgery went well, they're expecting a full recovery and the Commander's wounds weren't that serious." He grimaced to himself, he probably should have left off about Rabb.  
  
"What?!" Mac tried to push herself upright only to be stopped by Gunny's hand on her shoulder. She lay back and looked at him in exasperation, "What happened?"  
  
"Corporal Bell was the one Trask had carry you, ma'am. When he got to the buyers' vehicle, he knocked one of them down and started running. He took a round in the back that barely slowed him down and then literally ran into Ensign Tyler. Tyler took down some of the guys that were pursuing you and y'all took cover in a storage shed. Then we found you and a little later, Rabb and Singer found us. Eventually the Feds found everybody and here we are."  
  
Mac stared at him, "Bell will be all right?" Gunny nodded. "How did Harm get hurt?"  
  
Walters ran a hand through his hair, he didn't want to upset her. "He ran into Trask while looking for you. They got into a fight, Trask had a knife. Singer managed to shoot him, eventually."  
  
"Tell me that son of a bitch is dead." Mac's voice was almost a whisper.  
  
Gunny shifted uncomfortably, "We don't know for sure, ma'am. The body disappeared."  
  
He watched her struggle to digest that unwelcome bit of news and then she asked a question that surprised him, "How long have I been here at the hospital?"  
  
Gunny stared at her, "You don't know, ma'am? I thought... I mean... "  
  
Mac offered him a ghost of a smile, "It helps if I'm awake. I'm pretty sure the last time was 4 hours and 53 minutes ago, but it's pretty hazy. I'm not sure where I was."   
  
Walters looked at her for a moment, "What's the last thing you remember?"  
  
Mac's brow furrowed, "Clearly? 7 hours and 21 minutes ago, eating lunch with Trask and feeling everything go numb while he told me he had laced my food with an animal tranquilizer." Her voice shook slightly, "He told me the buyers were there for me and he didn't want a fight. Said it would be... easier... with the drugs. I called him a bastard and he knocked me out of my chair."  
  
Gunny's hands clenched on the bedrail, that son of a bitch! Although the Colonel was still looking at him, he could tell she wasn't seeing him anymore. He heard a slight noise behind him and turned to see Rabb and Chegwidden in the doorway. Judging from the looks on their faces, they'd heard what he'd heard. He looked back at Mac and said softly, "Colonel?" When she refocused on him, he directed her attention to the two men in the doorway. "Why don't I let the Commander fill you in on the rest?" He stepped to the side as Harm came hurrying up. The Admiral followed a little more slowly.  
  
"Harm! Are you okay?" Mac saw the Admiral reach the bedside and tried once more to sit up.   
  
Harm put a hand out at the same time that AJ motioned for her to stay. "As you were, Colonel." He gave her a small smile, "As happy as I am that you're awake, I think the Gunny and I will leave now and catch up with you in the morning." He looked over at Harm, "Do not keep her up past her bedtime, Commander." He gestured to Gunny and the two men left the room.  
  
Harm watched them leave, then leaned on the bedrail and looked at Mac. She looked back a trifle anxiously, "Harm?"  
  
"I'm fine, Mac. They barely qualify as scratches." He was vaguely aware that he was wearing a small, silly grin, "I'm glad you're awake, how are you feeling?" Without thinking about it, he brushed her hair away from her forehead and lightly rested his hand on the side of her face.  
  
Mac blinked a little, then decided to enjoy the moment. Reality would, no doubt, intrude soon enough. "Right now, I'm just relieved to be feeling anything."  
  
Harm's smile got a little wider before he assumed a mock serious look, "You have no idea how relieved I am. It's your fault I keep getting gray hairs."  
  
"Excuse me? I think the guy you want to blame is Father Time," Mac arched an eyebrow at him. Trust Harm to take the right approach to keep her from being overwhelmed by her memories. Now if he could just keep the nightmares at bay...  
  
"Ooo, that hurts, Marine," Harm clapped a hand dramatically to his chest while giving her a wounded look.  
  
"Sure that's not rheumatism?" Mac asked innocently, trying not to laugh at his silliness.   
  
"Keep it up," he growled with a glint in his eye and just a hint of a smile, "and I'll show you old."  
  
"I might just take you up on that," Mac grinned, "I like mature men."  
  
"Do tell?" Harm said with a wicked gleam. He leaned in closer.  
  
"Actually, I don't tell... " she said softly, watching as he steadily closed the distance between them. He kissed her gently and then pulled back with a smile. Mac looked at him quizzically. "Harm?"  
  
He tilted his head to one side and his eyes took on a mischevious look, "Think of it as a security deposit. With the wondrous knowledge of my advanced age, I'm aware of how impulsive you young people can be." He waved his hand at the room, "And in my infinite wisdom, it has occurred to me that A.) this is not the most opportune place and B.) you are not in the optimum shape for prolonged face-sucking." Harm settled back looking pleased with himself.  
  
He watched smugly as Mac stared at him, mouthing the words 'face-sucking'. She leaned back into the pillows with a groan, one hand covering her face. After a moment, the fingers spread and one eye peered out, "What if I said I'm a Marine, I can take it?" He shook his head and the hand closed again. She dropped it with a sigh and looked at him, "A security deposit?"  
  
Harm smiled and then said more seriously, "Well, probably more of a token of good faith. I think once we're back in D.C., it's time we had that talk. Preferably, death-threat and injury free."  
  
Mac's reply was cut off when there was a knock at the door. It opened to reveal a somewhat nervous-looking, young doctor. Harm stifled a groan, the room was about to be occupied by a very pissed-off Marine Colonel. 


	41. Part 41

Part Forty-One  
  
Mac's Room  
Base Hospital  
Memphis NAS  
2000 Local  
  
"You want to run that by me again?"   
  
That single sentence, delivered in a low, intense tone, caused the doctor to take an nervous step backwards. Harm leaned against the wall by the head of the bed and tried not to smile. Mac in Mt. Vesuvius mode (when not directed at him), was pretty damn amusing. He'd chosen his place with care. Mac couldn't see him, while he had a good view of the hapless young man. Harm wondered briefly if the doctor had been given any warning of what was awaiting him or if the senior staff had simply put the bell in his hands and shoved him in the door.  
  
The encounter hadn't begun well. The doctor had started off with the annoyingly cheerful We're-All-In-This-Together gamut. That stratagem inevitably involved something awful and for all their talk of 'we', Harm had yet to find any medical personnel willing to share in the fun. Mac met this maneuver with silence. A dicey defense in the hands of amateurs, when wielded by an expert - especially of the feminine gender - it was devastating in its simplicity. The young man had then attempted to regain control with that old standby, 'Dr. God and the I'll Tell You What's Best For You chorus.' He hadn't gotten more than halfway through his opening stanza before he took a Semper Fi between the eyes. Harm listened as Mac pointed out the errors in the doctor's thoughts as well as his thinking process. The Commander reflected that inside every Marine, there must be a little drill instructor just itching to get out. When the Marine in question was a litigating attorney, the combination could be lethal.  
  
Harm chuckled to himself, jarheads were notoriously unimpressed by deity wanna-bes. After all, according to the Marine Hymn, the Corps already had an arrangement with God to provide security for Heaven. Clearly at a loss, the young man finally hit on the notion of talking to Mac as a person and not a case. She rewarded him by being remarkably civil - until he'd gotten to the part about the diet...  
  
The young man gulped and clutched his clipboard a little tighter, "I said that you have to adher to a restricted diet until the stomach lining has healed. No spices, no salt, no caffeine, nothing acidic... " He nervously held out a sheet of paper, "Here's a list of what you can eat."  
  
Mac grabbed the list and quickly scanned it, then she turned it over and looked at the back. Glaring at the doctor, she said, "There's nothing on here."  
  
Startled, he took the sheet back and then laughed weakly, "Oh I see, you were joking." He studiously avoided looking at Mac's face, "See? You can have bread, hard or soft-boiled eggs, rice, certain soups, oatmeal... " Some latent survival instinct surged to the fore and he dropped the list on the bed while fumbling with his pager. Mumbling about 'on-call' and 'emergencies', he backed up until he hit the wall, wrestled frantically with the doorknob and fled.  
  
Harm couldn't help himself, he started to laugh. Pushing off the wall, he all but fell into the chair. Wiping his eyes, he managed to focus on Mac. She was glaring at him balefully. "You think this is amusing?" She picked up the sheet and waved it at him. "Look at this list! How am I supposed to survive on this?"  
  
Her outrage set him off again, it took a couple of minutes to regain control. He caught his breath and held up his hands, "C'mon Mac, I'm sure it's not as bad as all that. You'll just have to eat healthy for a couple of weeks." He shook a finger at her, "I always knew your eating habits would get you in trouble one day." She stared at him, mouth open in disbelief. Harm continued to smile, "Close your mouth and calm down, Colonel. You know you need to keep stress to a minimum, too"  
  
Mac shut her mouth with a snap and then her eyes narrowed. Harm's own eyes widened fractionally as he mentally reviewed what he'd just said. 'Oh dammit!' He gave himself a kick while putting on an innocent expression. She pointed an accusatory finger, "You knew!"  
  
"Who, me?" Harm used his most charming tone, "Now Mac, don't you think I'd have said something to you if I already knew?" He gave her his best grin.  
  
She stared at him for a long moment while she considered his words and then said blandly, "Not in a million years."  
  
He stared back and then grinned more widely, "Damn straight. My momma didn't raise no fools."  
  
Mac couldn't help herself, she started to smile. This entire conversation had awakened her sense of the ridiculous. She leaned back into the pillows and gazed at the ceiling for a moment before looking at Harm, "I hope you'll appreciate the irony of surviving a militia shootout only to be taken out by a caffeine-deprived female."   
  
Harm chuckled, "I'll take my chances, thank you. Besides, I run faster than you."  
  
"Faster than a speeding bullet?" Mac said, smiling sweetly.  
  
"And able to leap tall stacks of the UCMJ in a single bound," Harm responded smugly. He noticed her stifling a yawn and turned serious, "Mac, go ahead and sleep. I'll be here when you wake up."  
  
"I'm turning into Rip Van Winkle, I've slept so much," Mac grumbled, she didn't seem to have any stamina at all. "Are you planning to spend the night in those chairs? You'll be shaped like a question mark by morning." She paused for a moment and then said with a sly smile, "Of course, we'll finally be able to see eye-to-eye..."  
  
Harm groaned, "Now I know you're feeling better, that was awful. Go to sleep before I put in a request for hazard pay." He stood up, leaned over the bedrail and began straightening the covers, pulling them up around her.  
  
Mac looked at him in amusement, "What, no bedtime story?"  
  
He turned swiftly towards her and gave her a quick kiss, pulling back to smile at the look on her face, "Nope, just a goodnight kiss." He adopted a stern look, "Lights out, Colonel. Sleep."  
  
Mac grumbled a bit more for form's sake, but she really was very tired. Most of her reluctance to sleep stemmed from the nightmares she knew were lurking. Still, whatever trepidation she was feeling was overshadowed by the fact her body had had enough. Sleep was coming, no matter what.  
  
Mac's Room  
Base Hospital  
Memphis NAS  
0800 Local  
  
Gunny Walters tapped on the door and quietly entered the room. Both officers were still asleep. He walked over and touched Harm lightly on the shoulder. The Commander jumped as his eyes snapped open. After looking at Mac, he turned bleary eyes to the Gunny.  
  
Walters smiled, "You two stay up too late, sir?"  
  
Harm yawned, rubbing a hand across his face, "That would have been more enjoyable." He inclined his head towards Mac, "Nightmares."  
  
Gunny lost his smile as he looked over at the Colonel. "I guess she's entitled," he said softly. He looked back at Harm and held out the bag he was carrying, "The Admiral wasn't very far behind me. You should have time to get changed." Harm grimaced and yawned one more time before levering himself out of the chair. Grabbing the bag, he staggered towards the bathroom. Walters sat down to wait. Ten minutes later, Harm emerged looking a little more cognizant. His gaze immediately went to Mac as he walked over to the Gunny. Walters had stood up upon hearing the bathroom door open.   
  
Harm glanced at the Gunny, "Still quiet?"   
  
Walters nodded and then looked at him curiously, "How often are they happening?"  
  
Harm scrubbed a hand through his hair, "Twice, so far. Takes her a while to drop back off. I thought about asking the nurse to give her something but who knows if it would stop the nightmares. I'd hate to have her caught in one and not be able to wake up." The two men turned when the door opened, revealing a nurse carrying a breakfast tray. "She's still asleep," Harm protested quietly.  
  
"And she can go right back to sleep after her breakfast," the nurse answered. She placed the tray on the nightstand and started towards Mac to wake her up.  
  
"Wait," Harm hurried over, putting out a hand. The nurse looked at him in exasperation. "Look, Lieutenant... ," he peered at her nametag, "... Michaels, the Colonel's been having nightmares and she doesn't know you. You wake her up suddenly and she's liable to react... ummm... strongly."   
  
The Lieutenant crossed her arms and arched an eyebrow, "Commander, I don't tell you how to prosecute cases, please don't tell me how to do my job." She glanced over at Mac and said confidently, "I can handle it. Please move out of the way."  
  
Harm shrugged and went to stand next to Walters. They turned when the door opened again and popped to attention as the Admiral entered the room. A moment later, there was the sound of flesh hitting flesh, followed by a crash. Harm winced and closed his eyes while AJ let out a startled bellow, "Colonel MacKenzie! Stand Down!"  
  
Harm turned to see a somewhat disoriented Mac sitting up and staring at AJ in bewilderment. Gunny Walters was already at the side of Lt. Michaels who was sitting on the floor amid the remains of Mac's breakfast. She had one hand to the side of her face, her expression somewhere between shock and outrage. He opened his mouth to say something to Chegwidden when he was interrupted by an amused voice from the doorway.  
  
"Wow, am I in time for Round Two?"  
  
Harm turned back to see Ellie Perez standing in the doorway. He glanced at AJ and seeing the scowl starting to form, hurried to introduce her. "Admiral, this is Dr. Ellie Perez. She's the psychiatrist on staff here. Ellie, this is Admiral AJ Chegwidden, the Naval Judge Advocate General and our CO."  
  
Ellie smiled and shook AJ's hand, "A pleasure, sir. Bobby's told me a lot about you." She looked past him and waved to Mac, "Good morning, Sarah. I was hoping you'd be awake." Finally, she looked over at Lt. Michaels who had climbed to her feet with the Gunny's help. "My goodness Alice, didn't anyone tell you not to startle someone just back from combat?" From the look on her face, Harm suspected Ellie had a good idea of what Lt. Michaels' attitude had been.  
  
The Lieutenant looked indignant and Harm decided there was little love lost between the two women. "Women aren't allowed in combat!" Michaels huffed, "How was I to know she was violent? She should be in restraints!"  
  
Ellie's voice turned icy, "That 'she' is a Lt. Colonel in the Marine Corps, so I suggest you address her accordingly. Whether or not someone is 'allowed' scarcely matters if they find themselves in a combat situation as the Colonel did. Had you read the case a little more thoroughly, you'd have known that." She glanced at Harm, "And I suspect you were warned to be careful." She raised an eyebrow, "I think the Colonel will need another breakfast tray. Why don't you have Lt. Jung bring it while you have that bruise looked at? Oh, and send an orderly in to clean this up, please." Ellie turned towards the Admiral and Harm, effectively dismissing the irritated Lieutenant, "Would you gentlemen mind waiting outside for a minute while I talk to the Colonel?" She looked over at Walters, "You too, Gunnery Sergeant."  
  
The three men looked at each other and then AJ turned and left the room. Harm and the Gunny followed quietly behind. Chegwidden led them a little ways down the hallway and then turned around and folded his arms across his chest, "What the hell just happened in there? That was Captain Perez's wife, wasn't it?"  
  
Harm nodded, "Yes sir. Sir, what happened really wasn't Mac's fault." He glanced at Walters and then continued, "Mac had a pretty rough night. Nightmares. The last one was around five this morning, it took almost an hour before she managed to drop off again. Lt. Michaels came in with Mac's breakfast and insisted on waking her up. I warned the Lieutenant that she probably wouldn't react well to being awakened suddenly and Michaels pretty much told me to mind my own business."  
  
AJ glared at him, "So you stood back and waited for the Colonel to clobber her. Goddammit Rabb! What were you thinking? I don't care how annoyingly arrogant that nurse was, that was a helluva thing to do to Mac. You think she's going to enjoy the guilt from striking a junior officer on top of everything else?"  
  
Harm's eyebrows rose, he hadn't considered that aspect of it. Oh hell...  
  
Chegwidden watched as Rabb became noticeably chagrined and decided to let him off the hook. Gruffly, he motioned to the two men, "Go. You can make this up to the Colonel by finding the Acme Assassination Gang. I'll work things out with Mac... and the hospital."  
  
Harm opened his mouth to say something and then thought the better of it. He and Gunny came to attention and at the Admiral's dismissal, pivoted and left. 


	42. Part 42

Part Forty-Two  
  
Mac's Room  
Base Hospital  
Memphis NAS  
0815 Local  
  
Ellie walked over to the bedside. Mac had collapsed back against the pillows with her hand over her eyes. "Sarah?" she said quietly.  
  
Mac dropped her hand and looked at Ellie wearily, "She's probably right, you know. The way I've been over-reacting, I should be in restraints."  
  
The doctor tilted her head to one side, "Well, that's certainly an idea. Then we could charge people to come and gawk at fifty cents a pop. We'd clean up here at the hospital - you and your colleagues are on the way to becoming legend." Mac stared at her with a mixture of hurt and anger. Ellie calmly returned the regard, "Well, my idea has as much merit as yours. Another option would be to put all this in perspective. Unless, of course, you prefer wallowing in guilt."  
  
Mac's eyes narrowed in anger, "What the hell would you know about it?"  
  
Dr. Perez gazed at her for a long moment, "I know that most of what's happened isn't your fault unless you've somehow managed to acquire omnipotence along the way. You're not responsible for other people's choices."   
  
"But I am responsible for my own actions and how they affect others."  
  
"It's still their choice on how it will affect them." Ellie sighed, "This is a circular argument. Your actions are the choices you make in regard to the actions of others."  
  
Mac was silent for a moment while she digested this. She looked back at the doctor, "The fact remains that I struck a fellow officer."  
  
"An officer who chose not to review your case file thoroughly and chose to ignore warnings not to startle you. Did you make a conscious effort to flatten that particular officer or did you react to an unidentified threat?" Ellie crossed her arms and waited.   
  
Mac sighed and ran her hand through her hair, "I just reacted."   
  
Ellie grinned and dropped into the chair, "I'd have made a conscious effort. Lt. Michaels is a royal pain." She paused for a moment, "Who knows? I still might whack her one. You're here to recover from trauma, not have more added."  
  
"I thought you shrinks didn't believe in violence," Mac said with a hint of a smile.  
  
Glancing around, the petite redhead leaned in and stage-whispered, "That's mostly because we're a bunch of weenies." Settling back, she smiled, "I've always felt that humans are, to a certain extent, inherently violent. We're predators, it comes with the package. To keep from preying on each other, we've developed this complex, ever-evolving social structure. Unfortunately, it doesn't always take into account that survival is a genetic imperative that's hard-wired into our heads. So, on occasion, instinct collides with social mores and voila, guilt."  
  
"Is that a professional opinion?" Mac smiled. Dr. Perez was one of those people who had a knack for making you feel better.  
  
Ellie pretended to ponder this for a moment, "Hmmm, think of it as a personal interpretation. All professional opinions are required to use incomprehensible words of five syllables or more and be delivered with the appropriate solemnity." At a raised eyebrow from Mac, she held up both hands and grinned, "Honest, it's in the teeny-weeny print under the fine print on my license."  
  
"Appropriate solemnity?" Mac said, amusement beginning to show. She could well believe the incomprehensible part.  
  
Ellie assumed a serious demeanor although her eyes were dancing, "I have a Greek chorus ready to scramble at a moment's notice. They lend a certain panache to my prognoses."   
  
Mac shook her head and chuckled. She was quiet for a few moments and then said, "So, Ellie, were you stopping in to say hi or did you instinctively know I was about to punch out a nurse?"  
  
Putting an elbow on the arm of the chair, Ellie rested her chin, "It was partly personal, partly professional. Of course, if I'd known Lt. Michaels was going to be in here, I would have gotten here sooner." She smiled sweetly, "I might have flattened her for you." Growing a little more serious, she continued, "On the personal side, I wanted to make sure you were okay. Bobby gave me the salient points... you've impressed the hell out of him, by the way. He takes being a Marine very seriously. On the professional side, you've been through a helluva of a lot more than anyone should have to and if you need to talk or vent, I'd be happy to listen or recommend someone." She raised an eyebrow, "You realize that you do need to talk about this?"  
  
Leaning back into the pillows, Mac sighed, "I'm learning." She looked at Ellie, "It's not easy. I'm not used to opening up about how I'm feeling and in the military, 'under psychiatric care' tends to be a career-breaker." She glanced down at her hands, "Unfortunately, this case has turned out to be tied to a previous one. One that's actually still on-going, although my part is pretty much done... that's what I thought anyway." Mac rubbed her eyes, "It got hairy for a while with the upshot being that I've been having some fairly horrendous nightmares. So, what I have been doing for the last month, is seeing a civilian therapist when I'm off-duty."   
  
Ellie listened carefully, one finger tapping absently on her chin. Between what Bobby had said and her own observations, she thought she had a fairly accurate thumbnail sketch of the Colonel. If the nightmares had been bad enough to drive someone as fiercely self-reliant as Mac to a therapist, then 'hairy' was definitely an understatement. She nodded thoughtfully, "Good move." Ellie paused while she considered her next words, "You must have felt like you were going crazy." The guarded look that Mac gave her told she was on the right track. Smiling, Ellie said, "Well, that's normal."  
  
Mac blinked, "Feeling crazy is normal?"  
  
"Well, feeling normal after that kind of trauma would be crazy." Ellie's smile grew wider as she spread her hands and shrugged, "Nutty, isn't it?" Mac nodded silently in bemusement. Waving a hand, Ellie continued, "I'm glad you didn't let pride get in the way of smart. Having an objective third party to bounce this stuff off of will do you good." Glancing at her watch, she said, "Well, I've kept your Admiral cooling his heels long enough and if my father's any indicator, the higher the brass, the less the patience. I'll send him in, I believe he wanted to talk to you." As she stood up, she caught the look that flashed across Mac's face. Turning back, she said curiously, "Sarah?" Mac looked at her wordlessly, Ellie watched her for a moment and put up a hand, "Just a sec... ."   
  
She walked out into the hallway. Chegwidden, who'd been pacing up and down the corridor, stopped when he saw her. "Doctor? Is she all right? Can I talk to her?"  
  
Dr. Perez folded her arms and regarded him with a neutral gaze, "If you'll forgive the psycho-babble spin, 'all right' is a relative term. She's better about decking the Lieutenant but pretty tense about talking to you. You weren't planning on chewing her out for that little incident, were you?"  
  
AJ scowled down at the Doctor, "No, I was not." He rubbed a hand over his head, "I do have a problem I need to discuss with the Colonel and I'd like to get to it."  
  
Unfazed, Ellie continued to stare at the Admiral, "Would you mind telling me what the problem is?"  
  
"Yes, I would mind." AJ snapped, "This is between Colonel MacKenzie and myself."  
  
Ellie shrugged, "Fine, Admiral. Just keep it civil - she already has a lot to deal with. I'll let her know you're on your way in." She turned around and re-entered the room. Fifteen seconds later, she strode out. Looking at Chegwidden, she said sternly, "Don't forget to listen, Admiral. The Colonel has my pager number." She walked back down the hallway. AJ watched her leave, then squared his shoulders and entered Mac's room.  
  
Military Police  
Memphis NAS  
0825 Local  
  
Harm and Walters entered the building and looked around. Gunny looked at the Commander curiously as they headed for the elevator, "Why here and not JAG?"  
  
Harm waited until they were on the elevator, "Because the leak had to come from here or JAG and because I trust Capt. Perez. I don't know if I trust Lt. Barker."  
  
Walters' eyes narrowed, "Wouldn't it have been better to stay away from both places?"  
  
"Maybe, but Perez can access personnel files without tipping our hand. If we're lucky, we'll catch the leak and the Acme Assassination Gang." Harm quit speaking as the doors opened and headed down the hallway to Perez's office. Rapping on the doorframe, he waited until a harried Capt. Perez looked up.  
  
"Commander. Gunny." Perez stood up and motioned them in. "How are you feeling, sir?"   
  
"A little sore here and there, Bobby." Harm smiled at the captain. He gestured towards Perez's desk, "It doesn't look like you've gotten any sort of a break."  
  
Perez grimaced and nodded towards the papers mounded up on his desk, "I was supposed to take a couple of days leave but... ." He directed them to the chairs in front of his desk and then dropped back into his own with a sigh. "Ellie's been keeping me up-to-date on the hospital news. Cpl. Bell's recovering nicely and it sounds like the Colonel will be okay, too." He leaned back in his chair, "Tell me you're about to rescue me from this mountain of paperwork."  
  
At Harm's glance, Walters got up and closed the office door. The Commander leaned forward, "Have you made any progress in finding the leak?"  
  
Perez looked sheepish, "I'm afraid I haven't devoted a lot of time to it, sir." He looked at Harm and the Gunny, "Do either of you have any ideas? I know it has to one of my people or someone at JAG." He scowled briefly, the thought of one of his people betraying a trust did not sit well.  
  
Harm looked over at Walters and then back at Perez, "We reached the same conclusion. Between the three of us, we can probably narrow it down." He started to tick off the pertinent points, "Okay, first - they had to be aware of our investigation but not the plan for that night. Second, they knew we were going to be back at JAG. Third, and there's two ways to go with this, either they knew Mac, Singer and Morris would be the last ones out or they were watching and just took advantage of the opportunity."  
  
"We know it was Koslov's men who grabbed the Colonel and Lt. Singer," Gunny said thoughtfully, "Did he have the personnel, and more importantly, would he have risked stationing that many around the JAG building in hopes of an opportunity? How many were there?"  
  
"Three, according to Singer," Perez answered. "I can't see Koslov taking that kind of chance without knowing there'd be a definite payoff. He went with a minimum number of men, too. That's not smart unless he already knew for sure how many people he'd be dealing with." He thumped a fist on his desk, "Goddammit, that makes it one of my people."  
  
Harm looked at him sympathetically, "Which of your people would have known about that night?"  
  
The Captain sighed, "Everyone?" Harm nodded. "Well... me, Cpl. Bell, PFC Morris, Lt. Grafton and Staff Sergeant Eddings. Grafton's my exec and Eddings handles the shift schedules," Perez concluded.  
  
"Grafton was running things in your absence?" Harm said. At Perez's affirmative, he continued, "So he would have been aware of the Admiral and Gunny heading for the militia base. Koslov was down there. If he was working for Koslov, wouldn't he have tried to contact him and warn him about the Admiral?"  
  
Perez looked grim, "So Eddings is the chief suspect."  
  
Harm nodded, "The question is, is he the only one or does he work with anyone else? Maybe we can set something up to find out." Harm looked at Perez, "We can hash that out a little later. I've also got a theory about the identity of our inept assassins. I need to pull some personnel records without raising any flags."  
  
Perez looked at him in pleased surprise, this was definitely better news, "Great!" He swung towards his computer, "Give me a moment to access the files." He busily tapped away at the keyboard for a few minutes and then sat back, "Okay, we're in. Who are we looking for?"  
  
Harm smiled, "Alan Jarvis." 


	43. Part 43

Part Forty-Three  
  
Military Police  
Memphis NAS  
0835 Local  
  
Perez stared at Harm, "The UA? I don't understand, looking for him is what started this mess."  
  
"Exactly," Harm said. "Actually, what I need is the personnel records of everyone who either arrived at this base or transferred to a different department in the week following Jarvis' disappearance. Just the men," he added.  
  
Walters whistled in appreciation, "You think he assumed a new identity and has been hiding in plain view?"  
  
Harm nodded, "He's a computer expert. I think he created a new service record and then hacked into the system and cut his own transfer orders."  
  
"But why stay here?" Perez asked, "He could have sent himself anywhere. Someone was bound to recognize him at some point, this base isn't that big."  
  
"It wouldn't be that hard to change his appearance," Gunny pointed out. "Dye the hair, grow a mustache, maybe start wearing glasses; even gaining or losing some weight would help. Besides, most people see what they expect to see. Even if he didn't change his appearance at all, they would look at his service record and just say 'Wow, this guy's a dead ringer for that missing petty officer.' No one expects to find a UA back on the same base under an assumed name."  
  
"But Koslov must have known, Jarvis was working for him," Perez protested. "And if that's the case, then Jarvis would be part of Koslov's group, not the Acme Assassination Gang."  
  
"Unless there was a falling out," Harm said. "Koslov took Jacobs' Archangel network and turned it for his own profit. If Jarvis had been recruited by Jacobs, the perversion of Archangel's goals might not have sat well. These people think of themselves ultimately as patriots."  
  
"That's assuming it was Jacobs who did the recruiting. What if it was Koslov? Jarvis could be just as mercenary and that would place him squarely in Koslov's group. Besides, if Jarvis was a Jacobs disciple, why not just pick up the phone and drop a dime on Koslov? An anonymous tip to us would get the ball rolling." Perez continued to play Devil's Advocate.  
  
"It was Jarvis who came up with the computer program," Harm pointed out. "No matter who recruited him, I'm willing to bet Koslov had managed to set it up so Jarvis would be the only one taking the fall if things went south. At some point, Jarvis must have realized it and decided to cut his losses."  
  
"All the more reason to transfer to another base. Why stay where both sides are looking for you?" Walters joined in the conversation.  
  
Harm held up a forefinger, "But both sides weren't. Only Koslov might have been and he might have assumed that Jarvis had fled the area. I think our petty officer was hoping to put his program to use for his own profit before he did disappear for real. Jarvis probably wasn't that worried about Brighton looking into the UA case. It would be a mysterious disappearance with possible foul play but no proof... and Brighton didn't know about Archangel."   
  
"But Colonel MacKenzie did." Perez's eyebrows went up.  
  
Harm smiled grimly, "Yes, she did. Jarvis couldn't have anticipated that Brighton would wind up in the brig and then convince Mac to take a look at the case. Mrs. Jarvis probably called him as soon as Mac and Tyler left. The interviews at his former duty station and with his wife must have thrown him for a loop. It was a safe bet that Mac would ultimately return to the VOQ. He just had to hang out until she showed up."  
  
"But why didn't he go ahead and run then? Things were getting warm, but the Colonel couldn't have been that far along in the investigation. Why not vanish? Attempted murder just focused the spotlight on this case and him." Walters threw in, perplexed.   
  
"And on Archangel, which on this base, meant Koslov." Harm replied. "This was an opportunity to pay back Koslov - providing he could get the attention off himself.  
  
"Do you think he was seriously trying to kill the Colonel?" Perez asked, "The parking lot wasn't the best choice."  
  
"Oh yeah, I think he was," Harm was silent for a moment, remembering the fear he'd felt. "He hadn't taken into account Tyler's reflexes. I think he was hoping to get her files in the confusion, but she didn't die and I grabbed her briefcase."  
  
"And his attempt to get the files from your quarters later failed because you had switched them," Perez concluded. "You think he was our sniper?"  
  
"Yes, remember that every attempt on Mac brought more focus on Archangel, especially considering Crowley's admitted friendship with Jacobs and his attitude towards her. It must have been driving Koslov crazy." Harm rubbed his chin, "Mac was lucky that Jarvis was more computer geek than marksman. It's not that easy pulling the trigger on someone. Anyway, after Tyler and Bell went to the motor pool, I guess Koslov finally had enough and sent his people in."  
  
"Which brings us back to the question, why would Jarvis still be here?" Perez asked.  
  
Harm spread his hands, "Why not? He just has to sit tight and there's real possibility, with everything else that's happened, that his case will be considered at a dead end. It wouldn't surprise me if he eventually planned to date the 'widow Jarvis'."   
  
"What about the Colonel?" Walters asked, he was beginning to feel uneasy. "With Koslov gone and the militia disbanded, will he still think that he needs to get rid of her?"  
  
Harm looked grim, "I really don't know. He must know that the rest of us are aware of what's going on. If he tries anything now, it would be because of revenge more than anything else. That's one of the reasons I don't want her left alone and why I want this guy as soon as possible." He leaned forward and gestured to the computer, "So who fits the profile, Captain?"  
  
Mac's Room  
Base Hospital  
Memphis NAS  
0835 Local  
  
Mac watched warily as AJ strode to the side of the bed. She didn't like feeling this way around her CO and she also didn't like disappointing him. He was so much more than a commanding officer for both her and Harm. She would be truly sorry to not be serving under him any more. He stood by the bed and there was an awkward silence. Finally, Mac took a deep breath, but as she opened her mouth, the Admiral beat her to it, "Colonel... ," he paused and then started again, "Sarah... "   
  
The door opening interrupted them. A petite nurse stood nervously in the doorway holding a tray. Her eyes widened in surprise at the sight of a two-star and she snapped to attention, causing the contents of the tray to wobble alarmingly. "As you were," AJ said quickly, stepping back and gesturing her forward. There was enough breakfast on the floor.   
  
"Yes sir," she squeaked and hurried over to the bed. Setting up the tray, she offered Mac a tentative smile, "Sorry about the wait, Colonel." She glanced at the mess on the floor and gave an exasperated sigh, "I'll give housekeeping another call, too. Someone should have been here already."  
  
"Thank you," Mac said quietly, eyeing her breakfast with mild distaste. If that list was any indication, lunch and dinner wouldn't look much different. She poked at the various items while the nurse checked the IV and consulted her chart. Finally the young lieutenant finished and with a nod to them both, bustled out of the room. AJ stepped forward again, trying to suppress a smile. Mac looked like a kid working up the nerve to eat brussel sprouts. She glanced over and saw the amusement on his face. In a slightly indignant tone, she said, "It's not that funny, sir."  
  
AJ chuckled as he sat down in the chair, "Of course it is, it's not MY breakfast. Go ahead and eat, Colonel, you need to keep up your strength."  
  
"I don't think this is going to do it," Mac muttered, looking at a spoonful of lumpy oatmeal. She doggedly worked her way through the uninspiring breakfast and finished with a sigh. "Forty-one meals to go."  
  
Chegwidden arched an eyebrow, pulled out a small pocketknife and said blandly, "Want to put an X on the wall?"  
  
"I'd rather put one on the doctor who came up with this idea," Mac grumbled. "This puts a whole new spin on 'cruel and unusual'." She gave the tray a final desultory push and looked over at AJ, "I guess it's time to get back to our talk, sir."  
  
"I suppose we should, Colonel," AJ said. He cleared his throat, rubbing a hand across his chin. Leaning forward so his elbows rested on his knees, he looked at her intently, "I'd like to start, if I may." Mac nodded wordlessly. Chegwidden looked down for a moment, "First and foremost, I'd like to apologize." He looked back up to meet her gaze head-on. "It was a mistake to send Rabb out here so quickly. A mistake I compounded by not getting in touch with you. It was certainly not my intention to question your competence in any way." He stood up and began to pace, hands clasped behind his back. "I'm afraid I reacted on a personal instead of a professional level. I was concerned about Sarah, not Colonel MacKenzie." He stopped pacing and regarded her ruefully, "You're not the only one who's had nightmares about Archangel."  
  
Mac stared at him in surprise. He gave her a slight smile, "They were unsettling enough for me and all I had been doing was trying to catch up with you. I couldn't... can't... imagine what your nightmares must be like." AJ resumed his pacing, "Anyway, this internet case was open and shut and I assumed you'd let Singer run with it while reining in her more aggressive tendencies. I knew enough about Crowley to know that, professionally, he could be a misogynistic jackass. But, I had hoped that this close to his retirement and with his political aspirations, he'd keep a lid on his prejudices. When Singer called about your confrontation with Crowley, I knew he had instigated it."  
  
Chegwidden stopped and looked down at the floor, "That you had to put up with that crap after the price you'd paid taking down Jacobs and his network was infuriating. I wanted to come out here myself and wring that SOB's neck. I knew he wouldn't stop. I couldn't come so I did what I thought was the next best thing and sent Rabb. You and Harm... anchor each other. You'd have his support and he'd deflect Crowley. Then you'd be out of there by the following day." He looked back up at her, "I was wrong and again, I apologize." AJ gazed at her and waited for a response.  
  
Mac stared at him for a long moment and then looked at her hands while she considered her reply. Looking back up, she said gravely, "I accept your apology sir, and I appreciate hearing the reasoning behind your decisions. What I need to know is if this type of response is going to continue. Will you be leaping to my rescue at every rough spot?" Mac shook her head, "Because I can't work like that. It undermines my position and tells me, and everyone around me for that matter, that you lack confidence in my abilities." She gave him a wry smile, "I've been dealing with 'Crowleys' for most of my military career and so have a majority of female officers. Our best defense is to do our jobs to the best of our ability and not let them rattle us. They'll always be out there and I'd prefer not to hand them any more ammunition."  
  
AJ regarded her thoughtfully. He knew that women in the military had a tougher row to hoe, but it'd been more of an abstract until now. He cleared his throat, "Mac, it was never my intention to call your abilities into question. You're a fine officer, a damn good lawyer and, I hope, still my Chief of Staff." AJ shook his head and grinned, "You know you're the only one who has a ghost of a chance keeping Rabb in line."  
  
Mac chuckled, "It's not that hard sir. Every now and then, I agree with him. It always throws him for a loop." Her expression sobered, "And I'd be honored to continue as your Chief of Staff." She gave him a sideways glance, "You will stop trying to 'rescue' me, won't you, sir?"  
  
Chegwidden held up three fingers, "Scout's honor, Colonel. You may solve your own dilemmas." He started to walk back to the chair when the door opened revealing an orderly and yet another nurse. They stopped in surprise at seeing him. AJ sighed inwardly and motioned them in, hadn't anyone in this place seen an admiral before? Turning back to the chair, he took one more step before Mac's sudden intake of breath stopped him. She was staring past him, eyes wide. Then he heard the orderly's voice say quietly, "Nobody move." Cautiously glancing over his shoulder, he saw the orderly and the nurse standing there with guns drawn. He looked back at Mac. She glanced at him and said softly, "Sir, about the rescuing? I've changed my mind." 


	44. Part 44

Part Forty-Four  
  
Military Police  
Memphis NAS  
0850 Local  
  
Perez leaned back from the computer screen and looked over at Harm and Gunny, "We have eleven arrivals and/or transfers during the first week of Jarvis's disappearance. Three are women, so that leaves us with eight possibles."  
  
Harm looked at him, "Do you have any other information on them?"  
  
The Captain shook his head, "Not in these particular files. All I have are names and where their new duty posts are. We'll have to get into the personnel files after this. I've printed out the list of names. The printer's in the other room." He nodded his head to the left and turned back to the computer to begin tapping out commands.  
  
Walters got up, "I'll get it, sir."  
  
Harm watched him get up and frowned slightly, "Gunny?"  
  
Walters paused with his hand on the doorknob, "Yes sir?"  
  
"Are you okay?" Harm wasn't even sure why he asked the question.  
  
The Gunny was silent for a moment, looking down, "I'm not sure, sir. I feel... twitchy. Like I'm standing in somebody's crosshairs." He turned a little to look at Harm, "We need to catch this guy and soon." He opened the door and left.  
  
Harm tried to swallow the uneasy feeling he gotten at Gunny's words. Mac would be okay, the Admiral was with her and there was a guard outside the door. Koslov was dead, his network had to be floundering. The bad guys were on the run. He looked over to see Perez watching.  
  
"I'm sure she's safe, sir." He turned back to the computer, "I'm in Personnel. Let's see... Miller... no, too young. Just graduated from the Academy, this is his first posting." Harm got up and came around the desk to peer over Perez's shoulder.   
  
A few minutes later, Walters walked back in with the list. Harm looked over at him, "Cross off Miller, Svenson and Espisito."  
  
Five minutes later, they'd narrowed it down to three. The Captain printed out the information on them all. Harm looked at the list and sighed, "Jarvis could be any one of these. We'll have to go see each man." The uneasiness Gunny had awakened was making Harm begrudge every moment Jarvis was unaccounted for.  
  
Perez picked up the phone, "Let me call and make sure these guys are available." Harm went back to re-reading the file, looking for anything that might be a flag. He looked up when Perez hung up the phone and then stood. The Captain looked grim, "Saunders and Otis are at their posts, Nichols never showed up."  
  
"Damn!" Harm shot to his feet and headed for the door, Gunny right behind him. He looked over his shoulder, "Call your people at the hospital, Bobby. I'll bet my stripes that son of a bitch is there."  
  
Mac's Room  
Base Hospital  
Memphis NAS  
0915 Local  
  
Slowly, AJ turned to face the two with his hands extended to each side. "Who are you and what do you want?" he asked calmly. He watched the scowl deepen on the man's face as he glanced over at Mac. The muzzle of his gun began to track towards her as well. Unobtrusively, AJ began to sidle over to the bedside, trying to break into the man's line of sight. He froze when the gun swung back to him. He tried again, "You realize if you start shooting, you won't get out of here alive?"  
  
"Shut up," the man said. He looked at the two officers, "Either of you try to attract the guard's attention and I will start shooting."  
  
AJ tried again, "What do you want?"  
  
The man smiled, "Lots of things, Admiral." He looked over at Mac and his eyes grew colder, "I'll settle for taking the Colonel on a little trip. I'm sure she could use the fresh air."  
  
"The hell you will," Chegwidden took a step forward. He heard Mac's quiet 'Sir! No!' behind him.  
  
The man's gaze snapped back to AJ and he took aim at the Admiral, "Sit down." AJ remained motionless. The man gave a mirthless smile and swung the pistol towards Mac, "I said sit." Chegwidden turned back and dropped onto the seat. "Tie him to the chair," the man said, gesturing towards the woman. "Give me your gun first," he added as an afterthought. Keeping a weapon trained on each officer, he waited for the woman to finish tying AJ. Then he sauntered over to Mac's bedside. She watched him warily. He glanced back at Chegwidden before lashing out at the shoulder on her injured side. With a gasp, she folded over, curling around the pain. He shoved the muzzle against the side of her head and looked over at AJ, "Not a word, Admiral or you'll make me pull the trigger." He watched for a few moments and then as he turned away, he looked into the livid eyes of the Admiral, "You give me trouble and she pays, remember that."  
  
AJ, his jaws clenched tight, nodded slowly and looked over at Mac. She finally rolled back, collapsing against the pillows, still trying to get her breathing under control. She saw him watching her and gave a ghost of a smile. His eyes narrowed in confusion. He saw her glance at the man, who was whispering heatedly to the woman, and then glance down at the bed. He followed her gaze and realized that the wire to the callbutton now ran under the covers. AJ gave her an approving look and then turned his attention back to their two captors.   
  
The man and the woman continued their quiet argument until she finally shrugged. The two headed towards the door and the man flattened himself against the wall as she went out. After the door shut, he walked back into the room, "Your ride should be here shortly, Colonel." He chuckled, "We wouldn't want to go against hospital policy."  
  
"You're Alan Jarvis." Mac said quietly, "I thought I recognized your wife."  
  
The man grinned and gave her a mock salute, "Very good, Colonel. Want to guess what's going to happen to you?"  
  
Mac eyed him for a moment and said, "If the past is any indication, you'll try to kill me and fail miserably. You're a helluva screw-up." AJ looked at her in disbelief, was she out of her mind?  
  
That wiped the smile off his face. Jarvis took an angry step forward, pointing the pistol at her head, "What if I just blow your brains out right now?"  
  
"Then you'll be committing suicide, that guard will come in shooting," AJ jumped in.   
  
Jarvis continued to glare at Mac and then lowered the pistol, "You'd like that, wouldn't you? Well, you can forget it, the only one dying will be you."  
  
"You're out of your league, Jarvis. Coming here was a huge mistake." Mac pushed, trying to keep him angry and off-balance. AJ was staring at her, he obviously didn't like the direction this was going. She knew she was playing russian roulette but it was the fastest way to distract him.   
  
"I know what I'm doing." Jarvis looked at her belligerently.  
  
"Do you?" Damn, how long did it take for someone to answer a callbutton?  
  
Whatever reply he had to that was interrupted when the door opened and Mrs. Jarvis hurried in, pushing a wheelchair. Letting go of it, she strode up to the bed and backhanded Mac with a full-arm swing.   
  
AJ got out one short growl of protest before a gun muzzle was shoved against the side of his head. Jarvis stared at his wife, "What the hell is the matter with you, Liz?"  
  
She turned towards him, brandishing the callbutton, "You idiot! Why didn't you pay attention? We have to get out of here!"  
  
Jarvis let out a string of impressive oaths as he realized how Mac had played him. Closing the distance to the bed, he reached out and grabbed the still-groggy Colonel around the throat. Terrified that Jarvis had lost control and was going to kill her right there, AJ bellowed 'No! as he strained against the ropes. Liz Jarvis stared at her husband before glancing nervously back at the door. She was the one who saw an open-mouthed Ellie Perez standing incredulously in the doorway with the guard right behind her.  
  
The guard reacted first, yanking Ellie out of the way as Liz screamed at her husband and pointed at the door. Startled out of his rage, Jarvis pulled Mac in front of him and fired a round at the guard. The young man threw himself to one side and Liz darted forward and slammed the door. Jarvis shoved Mac away and stood staring at the door, breathing heavily. He looked over at his wife, "They won't come in, we've got hostages."  
  
Base Hospital  
Memphis NAS  
0920 Local  
  
Harm, Perez and Walters hurried into the hospital and boarded the elevator to take them to Mac's floor. They had just reached the nurses' station when a single gunshot was heard. "Oh god!" was all Harm could say as they pelted down the corridor. Both Perez and Gunny got a hand on Rabb in time to stop him from turning the corner to Mac's hallway without looking.  
  
"Stand down, Commander, you're on my turf now." Perez said passing Harm and easing up to the corner. Carefully, he peered down the hallway. Walters and Harm exchanged glances when they heard his sharp intake of breath. Several seconds later, Ellie Perez rounded the corner covered by the guard who arrived a few moments later. "Ell... ?" Perez said worriedly, reaching towards her.  
  
She took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders, and gave her husband a brief smile. "I'm fine, thanks to Pvt. Timmerman." Perez backed off, recognizing her 'professional' mode - they'd deal with the rest of it at home. He looked at the two of them, "What's going on?"  
  
"It's a hostage situation, sir," Timmerman said over his shoulder. He was keeping watch on the hallway. "Two of them, a man and a woman. The man had a 9mm pistol, I don't know if the woman was armed. They were dressed as an orderly and a nurse." He sounded chagrined, "It's my fault, sir. I let them in the room."  
  
"Nonsense," Ellie interrupted, "There was supposed to be an orderly coming from housekeeping and nurses are in and out all the time." She gave Harm a quick sideways glance and then looked at her husband. "It's pretty volatile in there, Bobby," she said quietly.   
  
"Damn," Perez said, pulling out his cellphone. He moved over to Timmerman while quietly issuing orders over the phone.   
  
Harm pinned Ellie with a glare, "How volatile?"  
  
She stared at him for a long moment, weighing her response. Finally, she said, "Come with me, Commander. I need to sit down." She turned around and headed back to the nurses' station. Frustrated, Harm watched her walk away. Goddammit, he needed to stay here and she was clearly taking away that option.  
  
He heard Gunny clear his throat, "Go ahead, sir. I'll hold the fort here." With an aggravated growl, Harm hurried after Dr. Perez. The way everyone had banded together to get him away from the scene was scaring the hell out of him. He followed her into an empty room and folding his arms regarded the doctor impatiently. "Is Mac still alive?" he asked bluntly. That had to be Jarvis in the room, there was no telling how far he'd go.  
  
Ellie sat down slowly and then looked at him, "Yes, I believe so."  
  
His heart dropped at the qualifier. Taking a deep breath, Harm asked, "What did you see?"  
  
Tilting her head a little, Ellie said, "First, let me say that the reason I went to her room in the first place was because I was at the nurses' station when the callbutton went off. Actually, it kept ringing like someone forgot to take their finger off. I'd just turned the corner when I saw a nurse enter the room pushing a wheelchair." She paused for a moment, "Did you know there's a light above the door that flashes when the callbutton is used?" Harm shook his head and she continued, "I walked in right after they'd realized Mac had been calling for help."  
  
"And... ," he didn't know if he wanted to hear the rest.  
  
"And the woman was standing near the foot of the bed, the Admiral was tied to a chair and yelling and the man was choking Mac. He stopped when he saw us and pulled Mac around in front of him as a shield. She looked semi-conscious. Then Timmerman yanked me out of there." Ellie watched Harm's face redden with anger and said quickly, "I don't think he'll do anything else, he needs her now to try and get out of here."  
  
"He's already done enough," was the clipped response. "And it's going to end here." Harm pivoted and strode out of the room. 


	45. Part 45

Part Forty-Five  
  
Mac's Room  
Base Hospital  
Memphis NAS  
0925 Local  
  
AJ watched Jarvis pace back and forth anxiously. Mac had been right on the money, even if she had said it just to goad him, this guy was way out of his league. Unfortunately, that probably made the situation worse. There was no telling what he'd do in a panic. His wife stood and watched with her arms folded and an unreadable expression on her face. Chegwidden frowned slightly, he would have thought she'd be even more nervous than Jarvis. Something wasn't tracking right. He cast a surreptitious eye over at Mac. For some irrational reason, he felt if he didn't notice her, maybe the Jarvises wouldn't either. She hadn't moved from where she'd landed when Jarvis pushed her away. Curled on her right side, he couldn't tell if she was conscious or not. He looked back at Jarvis and cleared his throat, it was time to start doing his part to get out of this mess.  
  
"It will go easier on you two if you give up now," AJ said. "They're not going to let you walk out of here with hostages."  
  
Liz Jarvis looked at him with contempt, "Is there a hostage manual somewhere that requires you to spout that crap?" She glanced over at her husband who had finally stopped pacing. "Suck it up, Alan. We've got the Navy's Judge Advocate General and his Chief of Staff. They're going to do whatever it takes to keep the two of them safe. So long as we don't panic, we'll be fine."  
  
Chegwidden narrowed his gaze, Mrs. Jarvis was sounding more dangerous all the time. He directed his attention towards her, "Don't think for one minute that they'll negotiate with you. Staying on this course will get you killed."  
  
"You and the Colonel will go first," Liz said menacingly.  
  
AJ shrugged, "When you put on the uniform, you pretty much accept that you could lose your life defending your country." Damn, what would it take to rattle this woman? He glanced over when he heard Jarvis give an incredulous snort.  
  
"Defending your country? That's a laugh. It's all smoke and mirrors with you people. Admiral Jacobs was doing something." Jarvis glared at the Admiral and then over at Mac, "And because of that traitorous bitch, our country is still at the mercy of oil-rich psychopaths and the Admiral's dead!" He brandished the pistol angrily, "He was worth ten of her, I should just kill her now."  
  
"Shut up, Alan," Mrs. Jarvis snapped, "Jacobs was an idiot. He could have made a fortune and all he wanted to do was get involved in that quagmire over there. Eric had the right idea."  
  
"And now he's dead, too." AJ retorted, "Either of you notice a pattern? Keep making the same bad choices and you can follow in both their footsteps." He had a moment to prepare as Liz closed the distance between them, drew back and slugged him. He shook his head trying to clear it, that woman packed a wallop. No wonder Mac wasn't moving.  
  
"Liz... ," Jarvis began.  
  
"Shut up! Both of you can just shut up!" Liz growled. She grabbed the other chair and threw herself down. AJ suppressed a smile, now she was rattled.  
  
The noise was causing her head to throb. Mac could almost make out words but it didn't seem worth the effort. It started to fade and she gratefully began to slip a little deeper into the silence. What had happened? She'd been talking to the Admiral and then... then... what? She tried to focus and winced. Wimp, she chided herself, get on with it - talked to the Admiral and then... Wiley Coyote showed up... what... ? ... oh hell, if her mind had finally decided to take a hike, it could at least do it painlessly... Wait a minute ... no, not Wiley Coyote... the Acme Assassination Gang! The jolt of that realization brought her back the rest of the way. Enough to become aware that it wasn't only her head that hurt.  
  
Mac kept her eyes closed while she re-grouped. The pounding in her head was matched by the pounding in her shoulder. Her throat felt raw and fiery and she was pretty sure there would be an outstanding bruise where Jarvis' wife had belted her. All in all, this hospital stay had done nothing for her health. Hell, the entire trip had left her with a new empathy for all the punching bags of the world. Finally, she pried one eye open and looked at the wall of the hospital room. Damn, facing the wrong way. Okay, not hard to fix, just roll back over. Except there was no way to do it without attracting attention and she'd had enough of that already. All right , quit whining and turn over... it was easier said than done. She was lying on her right arm and it had fallen asleep. Clamping her jaws against a groan, she braced a leg and pushed. Once again on her back, Mac cautiously opened both eyes.  
  
Base Hospital  
Memphis NAS  
0930 Local  
  
Harm stepped out in the corridor to find it bustling with activity. Perez had ordered the evacuation of the areas surrounding Mac's room. Working his way against the flow, he made it back to the point where he had left Gunny Walters. He found a command post taking shape with Captain Perez at the eye of the storm. Walters was off to the side giving instructions to a private and corporal. He sent them on their way and turned around to see Harm watching him. Gunny walked over to the Commander, "Yes sir?"  
  
Harm nodded towards the hallway to Mac's room, "Anything?"  
  
"Not a sound, sir," Walters said worriedly. He'd grown protective of the Colonel these last few months. Maybe it was an offshoot of the empty nest syndrome, his youngest daughter was in her first year at the Naval Academy. Unbeknownst to the tall Commander, he had survived the Gunny's scrutiny, there weren't many squids who would. "We're setting up a perimeter, Captain Perez has been in contact with the local police and the Feds." He turned towards Perez, gesturing to Harm, "The Captain can update us, sir."  
  
They walked over. Perez flashed them a brief smile as he continued his conversation on the phone. Someone had found some tables, there was a rough sketch of the hospital layout sitting on top. The two men went to look at it while they waited for Perez to hang up. A slight commotion made them look back up the hallway. They saw Ensign Tyler trying his best to get by the Marine guarding that point. Gunny raised his voice, "Let him through, Chikowski."  
  
Contenting himself with a mild glare at the sentry, Tyler hurried over to Harm and Walters. Even though he was in civvies, he couldn't help snapping to attention. The Commander's amused look made him relax somewhat sheepishly. He looked at the two men anxiously, "I heard about the hostage situation. Is the Colonel all right? Can I help, sir?"  
  
Harm looked at him soberly, "We don't know and I suppose that's up to Captain Perez. He's in charge of this. Were you here to see Cpl. Bell? How's he doing?"  
  
Tyler grinned wryly, "The doctors say he'll make a full recovery. Right at this moment, he's highly ticked to be flat on his back. I'm supposed to keep him up to date on what's happening here or he says he's going to wring my skinny squid neck." At the amused snorts from Rabb and Walters, he chuckled, "I told him he'd have to get up and catch my scrawny little ass first." Harm smiled and clapped the young man on the shoulder as they turned to see if Perez was off the phone. Tyler had come into his own on this case and Harm knew Chegwidden wanted to discuss the ensign and Bell's career paths with them. He took a deep breath, if he had anything to say about it, the Admiral would have that chance.  
  
A man in a business suit with a large tube container under his arm, diverted Harm's attention. He was followed by a workman carrying several phones. Perez walked to the table, greeted the man and looked over at Harm, "This is the hospital administrator, Ed Valencia. He's got the blueprints for this section of the hospital."   
  
"Great," Harm replied, as he and the others gathered around. Ten minutes later, he straightened up with a frustrated sigh. There was no way to access the room without alerting the occupants. Unlike every movie he'd ever seen that involved hostages and bad guys, the ductwork here was too small to crawl through. He looked at Perez, "We're down to sharpshooters and negotiation."  
  
Perez looked equally frustrated, "The only thing we can negotiate for is their surrender. There's no way we can let them walk out of here, with or without the hostages." His face turned grim, "Once they realize that, they'll probably start shooting. They won't have anything to lose."  
  
Harm muttered a quiet oath while scrubbing a hand through his hair. There had to be a way to get Mac and the Admiral out in one piece. He started pacing, his mind working feverishly. The others watched in silence. Abruptly, he stopped, eyes narrowed. He stood stock still for almost a minute and then swung around to stare at Tyler. The ensign gulped nervously as Harm gestured for Perez to join him. Still staring at Tyler, he said, "Captain, I have an idea... ."  
  
Mac's Room  
Base Hospital  
Memphis NAS  
0930 Local  
  
AJ saw Mac turn over and looked quickly at Jarvis and his wife. Jarvis scowled and started to move closer to the bed. Before Chegwidden could open his mouth, Liz Jarvis jumped in, "Leave her alone, Allan. We're going to need her up and walking to get out of here."  
  
Jarvis glared at his wife, "When the hell is that going to happen?" He waved an arm, "We have no idea what they're doing out there. Why not kill her now? We've got him for a hostage." He gestured towards AJ and then flexed his fingers, looking back at Mac, "I can do it quietly, they wouldn't know."  
  
Liz Jarvis gazed up at the ceiling and then regarded her husband impatiently, "I agreed to help you with this stupid revenge because I knew you'd act without thinking and get yourself killed. You damn near blew yourself up with that grenade. You'll get your chance and plenty of time to do it, if you'll let me handle everything now." Her smile gave AJ chills, "You know you'll enjoy it more if you don't have to rush."  
  
Jarvis chuckled and settled at the bottom of the bed. He leered at Mac, "Yeah, it would be better taking my time."  
  
AJ stared hard at Jarvis, he'd gladly beat the holy hell out of the man for what he was thinking. He glanced up at Mac. She was lying against the pillows with her eyes open. He couldn't tell if she was coherent enough to understand that last exchange between the Jarvises. Then she met his eyes and he knew she'd heard every word. Her lack of expression worried him, he couldn't tell if she was already retreating mentally and emotionally.  
  
The phone rang. Liz Jarvis walked over and picked it up, "It's about time, I was becoming annoyed." She listened for a moment, "All right Captain Perez, let me tell you what's going to happen. We're walking out of this room and out of this hospital. You're going to provide us with transportation and guarantee no pursuit." She listened again, "I'm being perfectly reasonable. I'm not asking for ransom or a helicopter. If we don't get what we want, we'll start putting little holes in your Admiral and the Colonel. And if you try rushing the room, they'll both die before you get past the doorway." She hung up and turned to look at her husband, "We'll let them stew a little."  
  
AJ cleared his throat. Liz and Jarvis looked at him. "You might have an easier time moving the Colonel if she had shoes and something less conspicuous than a hospital gown." He knew if Perez let them leave the building, it would be because he had a plan in motion. Rabb would see to that. Meanwhile, it wouldn't hurt to make it possible for Mac to move quickly. He could see Liz turning over the angles in her mind, finally she shrugged and nodded. AJ kept his satisfaction to himself, despite prior evidence, they didn't see Mac as a threat.  
  
Once more the phone rang, Liz smiled at her husband and picked it up. "Well, Captain Perez?" She listened intently for several minutes, "No. That is unacceptable... No." She looked at the phone in exasperation and then put it back to her ear, "All right, Perez, pick one." There was a pause and then she said, "I'm going to put a hole in one of them and you get to pick which one. ... If you don't choose, I'll put a hole in both." She held the phone away from her ear and smiled smugly as Perez's frantic voice could be heard. She put the handset back to her ear, "Are you ready to be reasonable, Captain? ... Fine, I know you'll have people watching, but I don't want to see them. And no one on the roofs, either." She glanced at AJ, "Oh and I want some scrubs and shoes for Colonel MacKenzie. Put them outside the door in the next five minutes. Don't get cute." She hung up. Three minutes later, there was a single knock on the door. Liz motioned to her husband. He cautiously approached the door, opened it a crack and pulled in the bundle. Grinning at Liz, he turned and heaved the package at Mac.  
  
She managed to knock it down before it hit her and glared at Jarvis in annoyance. AJ breathed a quiet sigh of relief, he hadn't liked the expressionless look. Mac looked at the Jarvises in exasperation, "This will go a lot faster if I can get some help." Her voice came out in a husky whisper.  
  
They stared at her for a moment and then Liz looked at her husband and gestured towards AJ, "Untie him."  
  
Jarvis swung around and blinked at her, "What?!"  
  
She stared back, "We'll have to untie him at some point. He can't walk in that chair. Let him give her a hand. If they get stupid, we can always shoot them. I want out of this place, the sooner the better."  
  
Grumbling, Jarvis walked over and cautiously untied one of the Admiral's hands. "Do the rest yourself and hurry up." He stepped back quickly and retrieved his gun from Liz.  
  
Shaking his hand for a moment, AJ made short work of the rest of the bindings. Standing up, he glanced at their two captors and then walked to the bedside. Looking at Mac, he was surprised to see her face reddening. "I'm sorry about this, sir," she said quietly and she truly was. Being half-naked in front of her CO was high on her list of incredibly awkward moments.  
  
Seeing the look on her face, AJ swallowed the flippant remark he'd been about to make. Mac was going to deal with this by approaching it from the military side and he'd respect that. It would definitely be better that way, he really didn't need to dwell on how attractive she was. Matching her tone, he said, "It's not your fault, Mac." He reached around and undid the ties on the gown, sliding it carefully down and then froze. Was it possible to be attracted and appalled at the same time? He took a deep breath and looked at a visibly tense Mac, "Dear lord, Colonel, you look like you've been run through a Cuisinart."   
  
She relaxed a fraction and offered a small smile, "It was more like a cement mixer." Her throat felt like it was on fire.  
  
He grunted thoughtfully, "I'll bet." He got her into the scrub top, taking care not to jostle her shoulder. The pants went on quickly and he was tying her shoes when he looked up at her in surprise, "They fit."  
  
She tried to sound off-hand about it, "Harm knows what size shoe I wear." AJ raised an eyebrow and decided not to comment. Mac looked uncomfortable enough; Rabb, on the other hand, would be fair game.  
  
Chegwidden stood up and faced the Jarvises, "Now what?"  
  
Liz gestured with her pistol, "Now we tie your hands again. Turn around. If you try anything, I'll shoot the Colonel first."  
  
Chegwidden glared at her and then turned around, putting his hands behind him. Jarvis came forward and tied his hands securely. Then he pulled AJ around and shoved him down in the chair, "Don't move." Turning to Mac, he pulled her hands forward, grinning as she gritted her teeth against the pain. Quickly tying her wrists, he shoved her back with a smile, "This is just the beginning."  
  
A few minutes later, the phone rang for the third time. Liz picked up and listened. She turned to Jarvis with a smile, "We got what we want. It's time." Jarvis grinned back and then grabbed Mac by the wrists and pulled her upright. This time she was unable to stifle the cry of pain. AJ started to get to his feet, only to stop when Jarvis planted the gun barrel in his chest. Furious, he addressed Liz, "You let him keep that up and she won't make it down the corridor, much less to the street."  
  
Liz looked at him for a moment and then over at Allan, "He's right, lay off until we're out of here." Pulling AJ upright, the four left the room.  
  
Minutes later, they cleared the main doors of the hospital and cautiously stepped out on the main walkway. Thirty yards away at the curb, sat a government sedan with the engine running. Jarvis moved away from the building first, his fist wrapped in the back of Mac's scrub top and his pistol jammed painfully in the back of her head. Nervously, he spun around in a circle, dragging Mac around with him while scanning the rooftops for snipers. Desperately she tried to keep her feet, this was the first time she'd been upright since her lunch with that bastard Trask. The strain was beginning to tell, she felt increasingly shaky.  
  
Satisfied that Perez had been telling the truth about snipers on the rooftops, Jarvis motioned for Liz to join him. She came out of the shelter of the building, shoving AJ along in front of her. When she reached her husband, they began the slow trek to the car. Suspicious of some kind of trap, they kept turning from one side to the other in an erratic pattern, dragging Mac or the Admiral along. AJ tried to keep an eye on Mac while scanning the surrounding area. He was growing more worried about her, She was getting paler all the time and her face glistened with a fine sheen of sweat.  
  
They were two-thirds of the way to the car, when a battered white Toyota came roaring up to the hospital. It careened to a halt right behind the sedan, bouncing one wheel up on the curb. A frantic young man leaped out and raced around to the passenger side, yanking the door open. Oblivious to the nature of the group standing on the walkway, he yelled over his shoulder, "Get someone out here, my wife's in labor!" He carefully hauled an incredibly pregnant and obviously agitated woman out of the car. She alternated between panting and berating her husband loudly about his driving. Wrapped up in the imminent birth, they completely ignored the four people as they made their way to the hospital.   
  
Bemused by this unexpected appearance, the Jarvises watched the couple until they passed and then turned their attention back to the car. Moments later, Jarvis and his wife were hit from behind. Before they could realize what was happening, both were facedown on the pavement while Marines closed in from all sides. They were quickly cuffed, dragged upright and hustled out of the area.  
  
With the help of a Marine private, Mac rolled to a sitting position from where she had fallen. While he untied her hands, she looked with amazement at the exuberant faces of Tyler and Singer and started to laugh. AJ glanced over at her in surprise. He was kneeling where he had landed while another Marine worked the ropes loose from his wrists. Then he looked over his shoulder and broke out in a wide grin, "Tell me Lieutenant, when's the happy day?"  
  
Pulling off the dark wig, Lauren smiled back and reached under the maternity top, "Today, sir. It's a bouncing, fluffy pillow." She removed it with a flourish and turned to Pick, "It looks just like you, dear." Whatever reply Pick would've made was lost as Rabb, Perez and Walters came pounding up.   
  
Harm dropped down beside Mac, looking at her anxiously. "Are you okay?" At her nod, he looked over at the Admiral, "How about you, sir?"  
  
"Fine now, Commander." AJ waved a hand, "This was all your idea, wasn't it?" He reached up and let Walters haul him to his feet.  
  
"Yes sir," Harm smiled at Singer and Tyler, "but I think the Oscar goes to Lauren and Pick for their outstanding performance as the pregnant couple." He glanced down at Mac, who was leaning against him, "Think you can stand up?"  
  
She nodded at the same time that Chegwidden said 'No.' Mac looked at him in surprise.  
  
"You've been on your feet enough for one day, Colonel. You can ride back this time." AJ turned to a corporal and sent him back to the hospital for a wheelchair. He looked back at Mac, "We'll have the doctor check you over as well."  
  
She nodded quietly, causing both men to look at each other in concern. At the least, they'd expected a token argument. If Mac noticed their looks, she ignored them. Instead, she smiled warmly at the assembled group. "I'd like to thank you all for rescuing us." There were answering grins and then the corporal arrived back with a wheelchair. With Harm's help, Mac settled into the wheelchair. With a small smile, she gestured wearily towards the hospital, "Home, James." 


	46. Conclusion

Conclusion  
  
Base Hospital  
Memphis NAS  
1105 Local  
  
Harm took over from the corporal and leaned down by her ear, "As you wish." He began rolling her back to the hospital.  
  
Mac's grin grew wider, 'The Princess Bride' was a movie they had both enjoyed. She leaned her head back so she could look up at him, "Does this mean you're going to start calling me Buttercup?"  
  
Harm smiled, "As you wish." Then he chuckled and added, "Only when there are other jarheads around."  
  
Mac arched an eyebrow, "You do and not even Miracle Max will be able to save you."  
  
Harm affected a hurt expression, "This is the thanks I get for rescuing you from the R.O.U.S.'s?" The laugh that burst out of Mac quickly turned into a cough as her throat protested. Unable to stop, she leaned forward, her eyes tearing. Harm stopped the wheelchair and came around to kneel beside her. "Oh hell, Mac, I'm sorry," he said contritely, alternately rubbing and patting her back. She shook her head and eventually got herself back under control.  
  
Wiping her eyes, she smiled at him, "It's okay, Harm. It was just such a perfect description. If anyone could be Rodents Of Unusual Size, it would be the Jarvises." Her voice came out in a rasping whisper.  
  
Harm looked at her in concern and wagged a finger, "No more laughing."  
  
Mac batted at his hand, "Stop making me laugh."  
  
He held up three fingers, "Solemn as a judge, from here on out."  
  
"Which judge?" Mac tried to maintain a bland expression although her eyes were sparkling with suppressed laughter.  
  
Harm gave her an exasperated look, it had taken her - what? Seven seconds to ignore his suggestion? Then he grinned - god, he'd missed this! He was suddenly hit with the overwhelming urge to hold her. Despite the success of his ploy, he was fully aware of how quickly it could have gone downhill. Still, this was hardly the place. Harm stood up and folded his arms, "Sebring."  
  
Mac gazed up at him, "Solemn is not the word I've used to describe him."  
  
"Colonel, Commander?" The Admiral's voice made them both jump a trifle guiltily. He stopped alongside and raised an eyebrow, "If you've lost your way, it's that big building over there." He gestured towards the hospital twenty-five feet away.  
  
"Yes sir," Harm hurried around to the back of the wheelchair and began heading for the main doors again. Fifteen minutes later, he and the Admiral were in the hallway outside Mac's room, having been unceremoniously ordered out by the doctor.   
  
AJ looked at Harm, "Is this it? The Jarvises were the Acme Assassination Gang? No one else is going come up through the shower drain or pop out of a potted plant and try to kill Mac?"  
  
"The Colonel should be safe, sir. The Plant and Plumbing Patrol have reported all clear." Harm and Chegwidden turned to see a smiling Captain Perez escorting his wife down the hallway towards them.  
  
The Admiral and Commander smiled in return. Ellie Perez looked at them, "Do you know who's checking Sarah?"  
  
"It was Dr. Galvin," Harm replied and then watched with a certain amount of envy when she tapped lightly on the door and disappeared inside. He dragged his attention back to the Admiral and Perez. They were watching him with thinly veiled amusement. "What?" he said defensively.  
  
"Nothing, Commander," AJ said, raising his eyebrows innocently. "How are you feeling? You didn't exactly walk away from the militia camp unscathed."  
  
"I'm fine, sir," Harm saw a skeptical look appear on Chegwidden's face. "Well, I don't think I want to lift anything heavy right now but the cuts are more annoying than painful."  
  
AJ nodded his head slowly and looked over at Perez, "Have you managed to wrap everything up with this case?"  
  
Serious now, Perez nodded, "Yes sir. We've arrested Staff Sergeant Eddings, Master Chief Wilkins and a number of enlisted in the motor pool." He glanced over at Harm, "Corporal Mario Lupo and PFC Billy Ruffin are in custody right now. Do you think you can do something for them?" He looked back at the Admiral, "They were the two drivers who helped us escape when we arrived at the militia camp. They saved our lives."  
  
AJ grunted thoughtfully, there hadn't been time to go over everything that had happened. It would be a helluva report. "That's certainly worth some consideration." He looked over at Harm, "Check with the JAG office and see what charges are being preferred. We'll go from there."  
  
"Yes sir," Harm said. The three men turned when the door to Mac's room opened and Dr. Galvin came out.  
  
"How is she, Doctor?" AJ asked.  
  
"A little worse for wear than she was yesterday, Admiral," he replied. "The bruising around her throat will make it difficult to talk for the next couple of days, but fortunately there was no serious damage. I'd like to keep her another day to give her a chance to recover from today's stress. After that, she can go home. She'll need to take it easy and rest for about a week and then she can return to light duty."  
  
"Can we see her now?" Harm asked, carefully not looking at the Admiral or Perez.  
  
The doctor shrugged, "I don't see why not." He glanced at Perez, "Ellie's not there in a professional capacity. Just try to keep Colonel MacKenzie from talking too much."  
  
"Thank you, Doctor," AJ said, watching as Harm headed immediately for the door. He and Perez followed a little more slowly. Chegwidden looked over at the young captain, "You've done an outstanding job through all of this, Captain, and I'll see to it that a commendation to that effect is placed in your jacket." He paused for a moment and then said, "The promotion board is meeting next month. I'll be in attendance and recommending promotions for both you and Ensign Tyler. I can't promise anything but I'll make sure they give it serious consideration."  
  
AJ smiled at Perez's pleased surprise, "You both deserve it." He gestured towards Mac's room - Harm had already disappeared inside. "I don't know if either of them would have survived without your help and for that, I'm grateful." He grinned suddenly, "Those two can be annoying as hell, but I'd have a tough time replacing them."  
  
Perez smiled, "Thank you, Admiral, but I think it was a group effort that got us out of that mess. I hate to think what might have happened if it hadn't been for Corporal Bell and Ensign Tyler."  
  
"I agree," AJ replied. "Which is why I'd like to talk to Bell and Tyler before I leave." He looked at Perez, "Why is Bell a corporal? I would have thought he'd be an officer."  
  
"I've thought so too, sir. When I've talked to him about applying for OCS during his fit reps, he keeps saying he's not smart enough."  
  
AJ raised his eyebrows, "Whatever gave him that idea?"  
  
"He's dsylexic, sir. He wasn't actually diagnosed until he went to college. He's such a big guy, everyone just assumed he was dumb. You know, all brawn and no brains," Perez shook his head. "Now he knows why he was having so much trouble but it's hard to shake thirteen years of feeling stupid."  
  
"Isn't there some sort of training available to help dsylexics?" Chegwidden asked.  
  
"I believe so, sir, although I think it's geared towards kids," Perez replied, thoughtfully. "I'll check with Ellie and see if she knows someone who can help out. Maybe we can arrange one on one tutoring."  
  
"Do that, because judging from what I've seen and heard, he's a natural leader. We need people of his caliber and I intend to make him aware of that fact," AJ said with a sharp nod and then he and Perez walked into Mac's room. Harm glanced over his shoulder and started to rise from his seat on the bed when he saw the Admiral enter the room. Chegwidden waved him back down and smiled at Ellie before folding his arms and looking sternly at Mac. "So Colonel, are you finished disrupting this base?"  
  
Mac eyed him for a moment before shrugging one shoulder. "Almost, sir," she whispered with a slight grimace.  
  
AJ raised both eyebrows, "Almost?"  
  
"Lunch is about to be served, sir," Harm offered with a grin.  
  
Next Day  
Memphis International Airport  
Memphis, Tennessee  
0930 Local  
  
The announcement that their flight was boarding came over the loudspeaker. AJ glanced over his shoulder at the gate and turned back to the group. "Time to go, people," he said. Gunny Walters and Lt. Singer said their goodbyes and headed towards the gate. Chegwidden shook hands with Perez, Ellie and Ensign Tyler who had come to see them off. They had all stopped by to see Corporal Bell before they left the hospital. He looked over at Harm and Mac, "Try not to miss the plane, please."  
  
Harm grinned at his CO, "No chance of that, sir." He gestured towards Perez, "I think the Captain is here so he provide Commander Mathes with an eyewitness account of our departure."   
  
The Admiral snorted with amusement while Mac lightly slapped Harm's forearm. She looked at Ellie and Perez, "You'll have to excuse him, he gets giddy whenever there's aviation fuel around." Her voice, although better than the day before, was still husky. AJ shook his head, turned and walked to the gate while Harm tried to look indignant.  
  
"Give it up, Commander," Ellie laughed, stepping forward to give Mac a hug. She looked at Mac, "I want you to keep in touch and if there's anything you need, even if it's just an ear, don't hesitate to call."  
  
Mac smiled in return, "Yes, ma'am." She looked at Perez and Tyler, "Thank you doesn't seem enough for everything you two have done." Perez grinned while Tyler looked at the ground and blushed. Mac looked at the young ensign for a moment and said, "You were wrong, you know." Tyler's head came up in surprise. Mac regarded him with a hint of devilment, "You are 'enthusiastic' enough to be a Marine."  
  
Tyler smiled and ran a hand through his hair, "There were times when I'd have to agree, ma'am, but I understand there's a cure."  
  
Mac laughed and impulsively gave him a quick hug. She grinned at the look on his face and wagged a finger at him, "If you ever need anything, just give me call."  
  
"Hey, what about me?" Perez complained good-naturedly.   
  
Harm rolled his eyes, "Fine, if you insist." He opened his arms and advanced on the Captain. Perez slid behind his wife and tried to look demure, "Mama always said it was better to play hard to get."   
  
Ellie folded her arms and eyed the two of them before looking over at Mac, "I think you better get the Commander on the plane before they get any worse."  
  
"I think you're right," Mac said. She tucked a hand around Harm's elbow, pulling him towards the gate, "C'mon, Rabb, wave goodbye and tell the love of your life you have to go back to DC."  
  
Harm let her lead him on to the skyramp before covering her hand with his own. He leaned towards her and said softly, "I have to go back to DC."   
  
One Week Later  
JAG Headquarters  
Falls Church, VA  
0900 Local  
  
Mac glanced over at Harm as he maneuvered his SUV into a parking space. One thing she hadn't considered was how difficult it would be to drive a stickshift. Although she still had the brace on, she had managed to dispense with the sling. The doctors were encouraging her to start moving the arm around again. So long as she didn't overdo, it wasn't too painful. With a little luck, in another week she would be able to handle driving. In the meantime, Harm had made himself available for whatever errands she had, as well as chauffeuring her to work and back. She smiled to herself, remembering what he had said on the ramp. If he had announced his candidacy for President, she couldn't have been more shocked. It was all she could do to keep moving and he'd had the termerity to look smug.  
  
There hadn't been enough privacy on the plane to discuss anything and by the time they had reached her apartment, she'd been too exhausted. She'd slept most of the afternoon and had awakened to find Harm puttering around her kitchen. He'd been doing his best to make the incredibly bland meal into something remotely desirable. By the time they sat down to eat, she'd halfway convinced herself that she had once more misunderstood him. After dinner, they had collapsed on the couch and to her infinite surprise, Harm had brought it up again. He must have been rehearsing what he would say, which had been just as well - she had been rendered speechless. Towards the end of his speech, he'd gotten more and more nervous at her continued silence. When he ground to a halt, she could see the fear in his eyes and so she did what any self respecting, kick-ass female Marine would do. She kissed the stuffing out of him. Then it had been her turn to look smug.  
  
They had decided on a courtship. Harm had declared that she deserved it and it would give them and the people around them a chance to adjust. Mac's smile grew wider as she contemplated the 'adjusting'. Hearing Harm clear his throat broke her out of her reverie. She looked over to see him grinning, "It's showtime, Colonel."  
  
She arched an eyebrow before matching his grin, "So it is, Commander." She watched as he got out of the SUV and hurried around to open her door. Adjusting her cover one-handed was a challenge, then she accepted her briefcase from Harm and together they headed into JAG. They walked into the bullpen amid multiple variations of 'welcome back, ma'am'. Mac smilingly acknowledged the greetings until she managed to gain her office. Putting down the briefcase, she carefully lowered herself into her chair with a sigh.  
  
Harm looked at with concern, "Are you okay?"  
  
"Fine," she smiled up at him and leaned back. "I felt a little self-conscious about all the attention. I'd just like things to get back to normal."  
  
He snorted, "Normal is a relative term around here."  
  
"Speak for yourself, Commander," said a deep voice from the doorway. Harm turned to see Sturgis standing there. The former submariner smiled and raised his coffee mug towards Mac, "It's good to have you home, Colonel."  
  
Harm eyed the coffee cup and said in a stage whisper, "You might want to lose the mug. One of us isn't allowed to drink coffee yet and she's been pretty cranky about it. I couldn't guarantee your safety."  
  
"Shut up Rabb," Mac rolled her eyes and smiled at Sturgis, "It's good to be back, even if it is just light duty."   
  
PO Tiner appeared in doorway. He nodded to the two commanders, "Sirs." Looking at Mac, he smiled, "Glad you're back, ma'am, and the Admiral asked to see you as soon as you got in."  
  
"Thanks, Tiner." She looked at the two men as she rose from her seat, "Excuse me, gentlemen."  
  
Harm watched her disappear towards the Admiral's office with a proprietory smile. He turned back to see Sturgis eyeing him curiously, "Things are different between you two, aren't they?" Harm gave him a grin and sauntered to his office.  
  
Admiral Chegwidden's Office  
JAG Headquarters  
0910 Local  
  
Mac knocked on the door and waited until she heard 'Enter'. She marched in and came to attention in front of the Admiral's desk.  
  
"As you were, Colonel," Chegwidden said and waved a hand at a chair, "Have a seat." He waited until she had settled, folding his hands on the desk. "How are you feeling, Mac?"  
  
"Much better now that I'm back, sir." She hesitated a moment, "I'd like to thank you again, sir, for everything you did for me out in Memphis."  
  
AJ waved a hand, "You're welcome, Colonel. I'm just glad to have you back where you belong." He leaned back in his chair, "I don't want you to overdo it now that you're back. No twelve hour days - at least for now." He waited for her nod of acceptance, "I will have an assignment for you at the beginning of next week. Nothing strenuous, and a little out of the ordinary - hopefully, you'll enjoy it."  
  
Mac waited expectantly, her curiousity piqued. Chegwidden smiled, "Have you ever heard of Bacovia?" She shook her head. AJ continued, "It's a tiny little country nestled in the Balkans, about half the size of Rhode Island. It's ruled by a constitutional monarchy and its chief export is rulite or titanium. Bacovia was absorbed into the Soviet Union and the royal family went into exile. Now they're back and the State Department wants to maintain a cordial relationship."  
  
Mac looked confused, "What does that have to do with JAG, sir?"  
  
AJ steepled his fingers, "The royal family went into exile here in the States. Twenty-one years ago, the then Crown Prince married an American. They now have four children, ranging in age from eighteen down to twelve. All of them have dual citizenships. The oldest children are identical twin girls. The oldest twin will inherit the throne, the youngest wishes to join the military."  
  
Mac shook her head, "I'm sorry, sir. I still don't see where this is going."  
  
AJ smiled slightly, "The youngest twin wants to join OUR military." He watched Mac's eyes widen in surprise, "Specifically, she wishes to attend the Naval Academy. Her family, while not particularly pleased, would like someone knowledgeable about life in the military to escort her and answer her questions - truthfully. They seem to think the State Department might see this as an opportunity and sugarcoat things." He grinned, "So Colonel, how would you feel about babysitting a teenager for a week or so?"  
  
Mac sat for a moment in thought and then smiled, "Will I be eligible for hazard pay?"  
  
Chegwidden smiled in return, "I'll see what I can do, Colonel."   
  
He watched as she rose gracefully to her feet, "Will that be all, sir?" AJ nodded and dismissed her, waiting until she had left the room to chuckle to himself and then dive back into his never-ending paperwork. The royal family wouldn't know what hit them.  
  
Harm watched Mac return to her office and gave her a minute before poking his head in her door, "Everything okay, Mac?"  
  
She looked up at him and grinned, "Depends, I guess. How do you feel about kids?"  
  
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Finis (for now!)   
I'm working on a sequel to this story, continuing life in my own little JAG world. Hopefully, I'll start posting in about a month. Thank you to those who reviewed or e-mailed, the feedback was appreciated! 


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